Top San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Planner

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T09:28:00.000-08:00

We are fortunate to be in an industry where we witness true love all the time. After 9 years, it is still remarkably sweet to us, when we see the little gestures from our couples that reflect their love and endearment to one another. The admiration in their eyes, the entwined fingers, the intimate body language. As beautiful and close-to-perfection as we try to make each of our clients' weddings, we also frequently remind them that the marriage after the wedding is what really matters.

Because, to grow old together takes so much more than speaking the vows. The wedding is a great starting point for you to celebrate your commitment to one another. After that, it will take a lot of empathy, understanding, compromising and unconditional love and hard work to sustain a healthy, balanced, fulfilling marriage. As difficult as that may sound, it is all worth it when you are with the one you love most.

Wishing all love birds a lifetime of happiness and sweetness together....

Photo obtained from Pinterest

The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was traveling in Asia over the Christmas holidays, and had the delightful pleasure of celebrating my wedding anniversary at Tosca, the Southern Italian restaurant located on the 102nd floor of the brand new Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. It would have been impossible to book a table there during the holidays, even on a week night, but because my brother in law Brian was one of the Project Managers that helped to build the hotel, he was able to pull a few strings for us. It was especially nice to walk through the hotel with him, because he was able to tell us all the "behind the scenes" in the construction of the hotel, and how ideas evolved into the final execution.

The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong was built just a few years ago, and is now an iconic landmark in Hong Kong as one of the world's tallest hotel. We were enthralled the minute we stepped out of the car at valet, by the panoramic view of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.

The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong steers away from traditionalism and instead, takes the lead in one of the more contemporary and stylish hotel under the design talents of Singapore's LTW Designworks. I especially love the subtle oriental influences around the hotel.

It took all of 52 seconds to get from the 9th floor lobby to the 102nd floor restaurant. Arriving at Tosca, we received service that was definitely up to par with the Ritz Carlton luxury brand, and were seated near a window with spectacular views of Hong Kong's magnificent skyline.

My hubby ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu while the rest of us feasted on appetizers and entrees from the menu. Each dish was artfully presented, but I have to admit, I wasn't blown away by the overall taste of the food. The ambiance and service definitely made up for it though, and so did the wine and desserts. :)

When the last of our dessert plates were swept clean, we decided to indulge in some after-dinner drinks at Ozone, the chic and sophisticated bar located on the 118th floor (top floor) of the hotel. It was jammed pack, both inside and outside, even on a Wednesday night! The vibe was fantastic, and the unparalleled view was the icing on the cake.

I would have liked to stay there for a night, and to experience their world-class spa, but alas, we shall save this special treat for our next visit!

Oriental Theme Photoshoot for San Francisco Brides Magazine

2012-02-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

Since we're still celebrating Chinese New Year, I thought it would be fun to show this awesome photoshoot that we did in collaboration with some pretty extraordinary Event Professionals for San Francisco Brides Magazine.

The magazine wanted a series of photoshoots centered around the different neighborhoods in San Francisco. We got Chinatown--surprise, surprise! My partner in crime for all photoshoots and designer extraordinaire, Gloria Wong, wanted to take a very different spin on our theme. After going through some major challenges, like driving for 7 hours scouting for the ideal location, we were able to take Chinatown out of Chinatown and into the Wine Country!

Kunde Estate Winery proved to be the perfect setting for our oriental theme, where we created the look of an old Chinese village against the decrepit walls. Jose Villa flew in from Southern Cal as the official photographer for all of the shoots and he captured every last detail beautifully! I have worked with Jose before and I am always in awe at his unobtrusive and effortless approach.

One of my favorite part was Neil Hunt's brilliant idea to incorporate live chickens, a perfect touch to the air-drying laundry that one can always find in a Chinese village. My good friend and fabulous DJ, Ron Grandia, just happened to have two in his backyard, and he generously lent them to us for this shoot. Special thanks to Joey Cheung of JBeautique for handling the chickens, Apple and Alice, for us the entire time. It was actually a lot of fun to have them wandering around our set the entire time.

Unbeknownst to us until the magazine came out, our shoot actually made on to the cover of the magazine!! A million thanks to a very hard-working team who pulled this off in less than 2 weeks.

Planning & Production--Jubilee Lau Events

Design & Styling--Gloria Wong Design

Photography--Jose Villa

Floral Design--Hunt Littlefield

Venue--Kunde Estate Winery

Chinese Furniture & Accessories--Old Shanghai

Food--Le's Kitchen Catering

Hand-painted petal fan menu and place cards, calligraphy, & handmade tassels--Mira Aster

Custom-printed fabric--Blueprint Studios

Hanging Fixtures & Production--Enhanced Lighting

Graphic design on fabrics--Amy Hayson

Here's the actual magazine spread:

Though Gloria and I have partnered on quite a few weddings and photoshoots now, for the past 4 years, she still blows me away with her original concepts and level of design detail. I love that she's a color fanatic too, and can tell if a fabric or paper is even slightly off from her pantone color swatches. It is this attention to detail that makes her designs so one-of-a-kind.

And, here are more detail shots by Jose...

Check out some behind the scenes images here!

A Valentine Gift From Jennifer Skog Photography

2012-01-29T00:44:00.000-08:00

Gump's Bridal Event

2012-01-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

If you happen to be in San Francisco on Sunday, February 12th, I would highly encourage you to check out Gump's annual Bridal Event in downtown San Francisco. There will be many fabulous Event Professionals there, including some of our favorite partners like, Taste Catering, Blueprint Studio, and Kathleen Deery, and you will surely find some remarkable items for your wedding registry!

This is one of the classiest, most sophisticated bridal event out there, so don't miss it!

Featured in 7 x 7 Weddings

2012-01-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

What a great way to kick start the new year for us, with a beautiful 6 page spread of Soomin and Chung's September 2011 wedding in the newest 7 x 7 weddings magazine! Thanks for the love!

I'll be posting the full story on this extraordinary wedding soon, with more drool-worthy photos by Angie Silvy!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

May your Christmas be filled with beauty, love, and joy...

Photo credit: Left, Middle, Right

Behind the Scenes: Photo Shoot for Today's Bride

2011-12-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Right after we wrapped up our 2011 wedding season, we participated in one last photo shoot, this time with Today's Bride magazine. The magazine will be out in January, but here are a few behind the scenes images from my iphone! The theme was Urban Love, and we shot at the beautiful Hotel Vitale in San Francisco.

Stay tuned for Jen Skog's professional photos once the magazine comes out!

Behind the Scenes: Photo Shoot for San Francisco Brides Magazine

2011-12-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

You know those gorgeous, jaw-dropping photos that you see in magazines and blogs? Many of them are the fruits of very, very hard labor-- hundreds of hours from an accomplished team that is put into producing these extraordinary photo shoots. It's definitely no easy task, but an excellent way to keep us Event Professionals inspired and motivated, as we strive to put our best foot forward.

Last month, I was the planner for a photo shoot for the prestigious San Francisco Bride magazine, and my team was given the theme of Chinatown. Determined to think outside the box to interpret our theme, my phenomenal partner in crime, the very talented Gloria Wong of Gloria Wong Design, decided to take Chinatown beyond the walls and streets of Chinatown, so off we went to Kunde Estate Winery for our shoot with the very respectable (and fun!) Jose Villa.

Think decrepit walls, live chickens, dim sum chest....the concept and details for our shoot were incredible. We hope you will look for it on newsstands in December, when the magazine will come out. Meanwhile, here are a few behind the scene teasers from my very reliable iphone camera!

I will post Jose's photos after the magazine has come out, along with the list of credits!

We're Off to Asia!

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Part of what keeps me constantly inspired and refreshed is getting to travel and experience different parts of the world. Though Hong Kong is really considered my second home, I still find it incredibly inspiring every time I'm there. Perhaps it's because it is constantly in a state of change. Being in this dynamic, glittering city never fails to give me the wow factor, and traveling there during the holidays is the best time of the year.

Photo obtained here

In addition to Hong Kong, I will also be traveling to Hangzhou and Shanghai in China, as well as Sapporo and Otaru in Japan. I'm looking forward to the adventures that these places will bring, and the opportunity to soak up the culture there!

Photo of Hangzhou found here

Photo of Shanghai found here

Photo of Sapporo found here

Photo of Otaru found here

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T15:03:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone an abundance of warmth, love, and sweets this Thanksgiving....

Photo and source credit: top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right

Tent Weddings in the Bay Area

2011-11-21T03:00:00.000-08:00

Tent weddings are magnificent, and they are every Event Designers' dream. The ability to create the structure of a blank canvas from scratch makes it possible to design events in any color palette, style, and theme. It takes a lot of planning and logistics on the back end to make it happen though, and that is the very part that we get excited about.

We've done numerous tent weddings/events in the past, and have faced different challenges for each one. There are a lot of decisions to be made when deciding whether or not to tent an event. First of all, you have to find the right space to set up a tent. Just because you own the property that you live in doesn't necessary make it a suitable space for a tent, so please be sure to ask your Event Planner and/or a professional tenting company like Classic Party Rentals to do a thorough site inspection with you. They can help you assess whether or not the grounds are suitable for tenting and if so, the specific type of tent that would work best for your event.

If you've got your heart set on a tent wedding, here are a list of venues in the San Francisco Bay Area that will allow you to tent on site:

St. Regis Hotel {San Francisco, CA}
Four Seasons Hotel {Palo Alto, CA}
Villa Montalvo {Saratoga, CA}
Kohl Mansion {Burlingame, CA}
Hakone Gardens {Saratoga, CA}
Hotel Vitale {San Francisco, CA}
Beaulieu Garden {Rutherford, CA}

One of our favorite tenting events that we've done was for Wedding 360, at the St. Regis, designed by our very talented design partner Gloria Wong of Gloria Wong Design:

Featured in Modern Bride China

2011-11-14T03:33:00.000-08:00

We're giddy with excitement over here as we just found out Julie and Nathan's wedding is featured in the latest issue of Modern Bride China! This is our third feature in this popular China bridal magazine, and we couldn't be more thrilled at the honor. We know there are a lot of beautiful, unique weddings out there, so we never take it for granted when one of our clients' weddings are chosen to be featured. Thank you to our media partners for their continual support of our work!

Holiday Gift Ideas

2011-11-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

My favorite holiday is right around the corner, and I am just itching to shop for gifts everyday. I love hand-picking unique, meaningful gifts for my friends and families, despite the daunting effort to navigate through millions of choices at my fingertips. I thought I'd share with my readers some of my favorites for this year. Perhaps you may find a few special gifts tucked in there for yourselves too!

Custom Glass Locket by Chantelle Nicole Designs--a perfect gift for mom or grandma!

Personalized Silver Fingerprint Name Charm--another great gift for mommies!

I've been a big fan of Paloma's Nest for the past few years, beginning with their cute custom ring bearer bowls. They have since expanded their product line quite a bit, and have many lovely gift options for Christmas and other special occasions. If you're in the Austin, Texas area, they even have a storefront now! Here are some of my favorite holiday gifts:

These bamboo clocks come in a variety of shapes and styles, versatile enough for most homes.

Branch is an awesome company focused on carrying products that encourage sustainable thinking. They've got so many cool stuff that makes for great gift ideas for people of all ages.

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

2011-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I attended a pre-opening party for The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe at San Francisco's Jardinere, where we got to preview the blueprints for this luxury resort. There was much hype and excitement over the development of this property, and the remarkable amenities it promised to offer. We all eagerly waited in anticipation for its unveiling.

Last week, I was amongst a handful of Wedding Planners to be invited to their FAM tour. FAM is short for "familiarization", and is an opportunity for us to experience the resort to its fullest potential, to establish relationships with the catering team there, and to understand the logistics of planning an event in the spaces that they offer.

The 3 day FAM tour was scheduled to began on Sunday, but since I had a wedding in Half Moon Bay that day, I was not able to join the first day of activities, which included tours of the Village at Northstar and the town of Truckee, and a "Rehearsal Dinner" at Manzanita restaurant--the resort's premier restaurant headed by Traci Des Jardins.

My husband accompanied me on this trip, mainly because he didn't want me driving by myself in the middle of the night, especially knowing how tired I am after a wedding. He drove the entire 4.5 hours and I slept for 4 of those hours! We arrived to the resort in the middle of the night, shortly after 3:00am, where we became mesmerized by this striking view:

Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

"We've been expecting you Ms. Lau!" the enthusiastic staff at the resort said as they greeted us at every step of the way from valet to the front desk. I was half asleep at that point, but was genuinely impressed already by the friendliness and professionalism of the staff there, even at 3am!

We were escorted to our room on the Club Level, and though I immediately wanted to collapse on the inviting King-size bed in front of me, I took a minute to take in all the beautiful details of the room, including the thoughtful Welcome Bag that was given to us by the Catering team.

I got about 4 hours of sleep on that amazing bed before I had to pull myself together for the second day of activities. It was wonderful to see my fellow colleagues, many of whom I consider close friends in the wedding industry. Ofcourse, it was equally as delightful to make new friends as well, which is one of my favorite part of these FAM trips! We started the morning off with breakfast in their Club Lounge Hospitality Suite, which was our temporary "home-base" for this FAM tour. Then, we were given umbrellas for the resort tour, since it was raining outside. I couldn't stop admiring the surrounding pine trees that seemed to stretch for eternities. Back in April when I attended a FAM tour at Pebble Beach, I was convinced that being surrounded by the ocean was the most beautiful and breathtaking feeling of all. To my surprise though, I realized through this Lake Tahoe FAM trip that I love the serenity of being wrapped around by the mountains and trees just as much! There is something so peaceful and tranquil about the stillness of the mountains, and I suppose it is for this very reason that writers claim to be most inspired when they are able to hide and write uninterrupted in the mountains.

Fall is a quiet, yet marvelous time of the year at the Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe, but imagine arriving to this scenery in their winter months...

Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

Simply astounding, right? The snow brings magic to this already magnificent property, and with its convenient ski-in, ski-out access to the Northstar lifts, you'd better be booking way ahead of time to get a room here between the last week of December through early April.

Photo taken from the Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

I was told that most people who choose to wed in Lake Tahoe holds a sentimental tie to this gorgeous area. Many have wonderful memories of good times spent in their parents' summer home by the lake, or they enjoy the nostalgia of fireplace coziness under a snow-filled sky. No matter the reason though, the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe has an amazingly talented, professional, and top-notch team to help you host your event in the most memorable ways possible. With 8 different sites, both indoor and outdoor, on their own property, there is certainly no shortage of options available for all kinds of events, big or small. I love that their two ballrooms both have terraces wrapped around their adjacent foyers, allowing a lovely indoor/outdoor flow. They also have floor to ceiling windows that offer an unimaginable view of the Sierra Nevada!

Wedding Ceremony at The Meadows | Photo taken from Ritz Carlton Highlands website

Wedding Ceremony in The Woods | Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

Reception at Fireside Terrace | Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

Wedding Reception in The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom | Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

One of my favorite part of the resort is what they call the Living Room, where you are surrounded by sweeping views of the Martis Valley, with lots of cozy sitting areas. At the center of it is a 55' tall granite fireplace, resembling a "tree trunk". The wooden ceiling beams were designed to mimic branches coming out of this "tree trunk."

Photo taken from the Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

The cozy fire pit, looking into the Living Room | Photo taken from Ritz-Carlton Highlands website

It is especially interesting for me when we get to see the "back of the house" on these FAM tours, as it is very helpful for me to understand their operations for our event logistics in the future. We were completely blown away when the Executive Chef met with us in the kitchen, and showed us first hand their state of the art equipments. They use an Italian conveyor belt for their "plate-up", which significantly increases the efficiency of food service for events. In just 4 short minutes, they are able to serve 80 guests! This may not mean much for those of you who are not in the event industry, but efficiency in the plate-up process can really enhanced the culinary experience for guests!

Our site tour concluded with a light lunch back at the Club Lounge, before we dispersed for our individual spa treatments. FAM tours almost always includes a spa treatment for us, because experiencing the spa is a very important part of any luxury resort! The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe did not disappoint, and is truly a "forest sanctuary." I chose a full mani/pedi instead of a massage this time, and their level of care and comfort was superior. At the conclusion of our treatments, we were offered champagne and a delicious assortment of cake pops, because they are just that thoughtful and hospitable at every step of the way.

In between our spa treatments, the hotel arranged some optional activities in the Club Lounge for our leisure--The Making of a Wedding Cake 101, Wine & Cheese Pairing, and Mixologists demonstrating some cool new cocktail recipes. I was only able to attend the wedding cake class, which was a whole lot of fun! The pastry chef walked us through step-by-step in how he creates his masterpieces. It is quite a labor intensive process, and extremely detail-oriented, for those of you who wonder why wedding cakes cost so much.

That evening, we enjoyed some lovely conversations over a scrumptious dinner, followed by an exquisite dessert presentation filled with some of my favorite sweet bites!

An artist painting the lively decor during the cocktail hour

As if there would be any possibility that we weren't full enough, we went back to our rooms to this special plate by our bedside....

On the last day of this FAM trip, we started off with a divine brunch in front of a striking view of the pine trees and mountains. Lots of laughs and fun conversations over our omelets and croissants.

Then, a shuttle bus was arranged to whisk us away towards the glittering blue lake, where we got a private tour of the magnificent historical site, Thunderbird Lodge, also known as the "Castle in the Sky". It is indeed, a stunning property prominently situated on the lakeside; the kind of secluded property that makes your jaw drop when you arrive. It makes for an extraordinary and unique site for any special event, though they only accept 8-10 weddings a year, in order to protect and preserve its historic grounds. They have a wonderful partnership with the Ritz-Carlton, where the hotel can provide catering for the weddings and special events held at Thunderbird Lodge, allowing them to maintain a very high level of excellence.

We had the pleasure of lunching on their waterfront patio after the tour, where we enjoyed the scenic view of the lake in front of us. It was the perfect way to end our FAM tour!

A sincere thank you to Andrea, Clodagh, and their phenomenal team at The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, for their hospitality and care in making our FAM trip a truly memorable and five star experience. I would absolutely love to have the opportunity to plan an event up there!

Vogue Japan

2011-10-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

This has got to be our most exciting press ever! Thank you Vogue Japan for publishing photos of Leslie and Jeffrey's beautiful wedding at Beaulieu Garden last year.

Most Beautiful Dessert Station For Your Wedding

2011-10-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the extraordinarily talented Amy Atlas, the bar for dessert stations have been set quite high these past few years. More than half of our clients request custom dessert stations, where the presentation of the confections are just as important, if not more, than the variety and taste.

Last year, I teamed up with Gloria Wong Design on an over-the-top extravagant wedding at San Francisco City Hall, where we created "shops" in the North Light Court for the after-dinner party. On one side of the North Light Court, guests rocked the dance floor with the band California, and a fantastic performance by none other than The Village People. On the other side, we had a Sushi Bar, Patisserie, Cafe, and Pub to keep the guests fully entertained. My favorite of all was the Patisserie, named after the bride to honor her love for sweets. The revealing of the shops was definitely a jaw dropping moment for the guests. Take a look at the images below and you'll understand why....

Photos above by Lisa Lefkowitz

Latest Addiction: Pinterest

2011-09-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

There are many words to describe Pinterest, but "addictive" is definitely on the top of my list. I use this adjective with a positive tone though, because it this very addiction that has brought a new form of organization and inspiration in my life.

Like many others, I spend hours cruising the internet on any given day, mesmerized by all the eye candy, new (amazing) products, and creative ideas out there. Now, instead of trying to bookmark every interesting page that I come across, I can conveniently "pin" it onto my Pinterest boards, allowing me to organize every image and link that I want to preserve.

This is a very user-friendly site that makes it almost intuitive to use, and to share, and it would be a great way for couples planning their wedding to keep their ideas and images contained in one place.

Our Recent Faves!

2011-09-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

It seems that a lot of very talented and creative folks out there are hard at work inventing the 'next best thing' for engaged couples. Here are some of our favorite new things in the gorgeous world of weddings...

{ Weddington Way }

If you've ever shopped with a group of girls and tried to reach some kind of consensus on a dress, you'll likely agree that it can be a daunting process. Brides can surely commiserate on the stressful task of finding the right bridesmaid dress that all of their bridesmaids would love, then coordinating to make sure everyone understands the ordering and fitting process, while trusting their best girlfriends who are scattered in different parts of the world to actually remember to do everything in a timely manner. Weddington Way is a brilliant solution to help brides master this ever-intimidating task by providing an easy to use platform for the girls to shop, share, and bond over the experience. Heavenly, right? We think so.

{ Loverly }

Exactly how are you suppose to keep track of all those eye candy that sweeps you off your feet in the blogosphere? Loverly wants to be your solution. A "visual search engine and cloud scrapbook, they help brides and their friends search, save, and share wedding inspiration from the best sites online." We think they're going to rock the wedding world!

{ Kate Spade Wedding Belles }

With newcomers to the bridal market such as J Crew and Anthropology, it leaves us anticipating which of the next big brands will announce a new bridal line. Kate Spade, however, chose to focus instead on the occasions surrounding the wedding day. Their stylish line of little white dresses are remarkable choices for the rehearsal dinner, welcome cocktail party, or other pre and post wedding events.

{ Foodie Registry }

If you're looking to have an unconventional registry for your wedding, the Foodie Registry may just suit your palette. Started by several Chicago foodies, this registry will allow guests to gift you dining experiences at your favorite restaurants. If you are big foodies, or if you simply love dining out, you'll find this registry so much more practical than an extra pot or pan around the house!

2011 Brides Editor's Choice Awards

2011-09-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love a nice surprise, particularly in the middle of a very stressful week? We couldn't have been more surprised, and excited, to receive an official notification that we were selected by the editors of Brides magazine as the winner for their Wedding Planner category in Northern California.

This recognition has left us speechless, and we are immensely grateful for such an honorable award by one of the most prestigious bridal magazines out there. Being recognized alongside some of my favorite peers, such as Nancy Liu Chin Designs, Chewing the Cud, Taylor Pham, Get Your Do Up, and Paula Le Duc Fine Catering is very humbling.

Thank you to Brides magazine, and to our many wonderful clients and colleagues for their support through the years. Cheers!

Men: Be Well-Groomed

2011-08-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

In order to stay "in the know" for my clients, I spend quite a bit of time each week perusing through the wedding blogosphere. I would hardly call that "work" though. Once I start on my blog roll, I am happily sucked into the beautiful world of weddings for hours! There is so much eye candy out there to keep us inspired, from ombre dresses to castle cakes and everything in between. I am still discovering new blogs everyday to add to my blog roll, and one of my recent favorite is the Well-Groomed blog by Darren, targeted specifically to men to help them be stylish gentlemen on the wedding day.

I love the Q & A sessions that Darren conducts on his blog, providing really valuable and practical tips for grooms. Not sure what color loafers to match a navy suit? What about finding that perfect tie to go with your vest-less tux? Keep up with Darren's stylish tips to help you become a well-groomed man on the most important day of your life.

Images above obtained from the Well-Groomed Blog.

We Love SoleMates!

2011-08-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

When we find something we love, we just can't seem to stop talking about it! SoleMates is the best invention for ladies since Spanx, and we want every bride to know about them.

Many of our brides love the idea of an outdoor wedding, but are often concerned about ruining their heels in the grass or gravel. I'm sure their guests may share the same concern as well. After all, ladies love their stilettos at weddings! SoleMates is an ingenious invention which helps to increase the surface area of the heel, protecting them from sinking into soft surfaces or getting trapped in cracks on the ground.

This would make a really thoughtful gift for bridesmaids to help protect their heels, and if you want to go the extra mile to wow your guests, have a basket of SoleMates at your outdoor ceremony as a gift to the ladies in heels!

Come "Like" Us on Facebook!

2011-08-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

We've jumped on the bandwagon to create an official Facebook page for Jubilee Lau Events! We hope you will 'like' us, so that we can entertain you with event planning tips, behind the scenes photos, and eye candies that we love.

Bluestem Brasserie: An Ideal Location for your Rehearsal Dinner

2011-08-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

When my good friend Stacie Hallinan from the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco told me about her newest neighbor, Bluestem Brasserie, I jumped online right away to check them out.

Bluestem Brasserie is on Yerba Buena Lane, overlooking Market Street, and is brand new to the San Francisco restaurant scene. On June 23, 2011, it opened its doors, introducing their slick and urban space designed by Lundberg Design (who also designed The Slanted Door and The Moss Room at the De Young Museum).

I made reservations to check them out right away. It was a rather quiet afternoon on a Friday, and I chose to sit in their casual lounge area, where I could people-watch through their large windows. I ordered their lamb burger, which has already gotten a lot of fabulous reviews online. It turned out to be the very best lamb burger I ever had--incredibly juicy and flavorful, on a delicious foccacia roll. After lunch, I gave myself a self guided tour, and had the good fortune of meeting Adam Jed, one of the co-founders of Bluestem Brasserie. Adam walked me through their private event space upstairs, which includes both an indoor and outdoor area, allowing a nice flow between the two areas.

If you are seeking a hip, stylish city space for your rehearsal dinner, I think Bluestem Brasserie would be a great choice. Enjoy these photos taken by the talented Angie Silvy!

Transportation For Your Wedding

2011-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Because we work with so many couples who are having destination weddings here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the transportation logistics naturally become a big part of our planning process. From the transportation for the bride and groom, to the transportation for the families and wedding guests, we partner with top transportation companies here to ensure that the process is smooth and seamless for everyone on the wedding day.

Limousines have long been the traditional choice of transportation for couples and their bridal party. I personally feel that it's not the most comfortable seating arrangement, especially when you're in dresses and tuxes. However, there will always be a sense of elegance with limousines, especially if you're having a formal, black tie wedding.

Photo by Kevin Chin Photography

Many of my couples have opted to rent cable car trolleys for their bridal party and their guests. It's a perfect way to bring a San Francisco element into the wedding, and guests from out of town particularly love the experience. Ofcourse, it works best during the summer and fall months, when the temperature is warmer in the Bay Area, as half of the seating on the trolley is out in the open. Trolley rentals start at around $650 for 3 hours, and there is usually a 3 hour minimum on weekends. For our clients that are interested in renting cable car trolleys, we recommend that they do so to transport the bridal party and guests during the day time, and in the evening, to use the luxury 21 passenger or 31 passenger shuttle buses.

Photo by Gertrude & Mabel Photography | A Jubilee Lau Events Wedding

Photo by Lisa Lefkowitz | A Jubilee Lau Events Wedding

One of my former couples actually rented a water duck vehicle to take them and their families around the city for some fun photos! Everyone had a fantastic time.

Photo by Sarah Peet Photography | A Jubilee Lau Events Wedding

We love working with Pure Luxury Transportation and Classic Cable Cars for our clients' transportation needs. Over the years, they have consistently proven their professionalism to us, and our clients, with their excellent track record of reliability and punctuality. Their drivers are always friendly and helpful, with a thorough knowledge of the roads in the Bay Area. Their prices are not the least expensive, but it is well worth it for your peace of mind, because the last thing you want on your wedding is a late or a lost vehicle.

Lastly, what I'd like to leave you with, is that it is a very nice gesture to provide transportation for your wedding guests but it is not absolutely mandatory. We always recommend it, especially if there is a large number of out of town guests, because it enhances the whole experience for your guests. It also makes it easier for you to control the punctuality of your guests. If you do decide to provide transportation for your guests, you should designate 1-2 pick up locations per vehicle. We always provide at least one of our staff members at each pick up location, to make sure the process is as seamless as possible for your guests. However, if you are not working with us, you should inform the front desk of any hotel pickup ahead of time. Some hotels have designated loading zones, and you also want the front desk to be well informed in case any of the guests ask about the transportation being provided. You should also notify your venue manager and caterer that guests will be arriving in shuttle buses, so that they can properly prepare for large groups of guests arriving at approximately the same time. If you stagger the vehicle arrival times by just a few minutes, it will help avoid bottle necks at the door.