What do you get when you combine sweets, cocktails and chocolate? Very happy girls

Fluxx continues to showcase their space in new and exciting ways, and last night’s New Theme Launch Party was no exception.

The Fluxx Sweet Shoppe offered different stations of cupcakes, rice krispie treats, chocolate fountains, and savories, and specialty coffees.

I tried not to hover over the cupcake table and had to restrain myself from eating more than the THREE I devoured. One was a deceptively simple chocolate with no icing – but bite into it and your mouth bursts with a little pop of pure liquid chocolate. Divine.

There was such attention to detail throughout the club, with giant lollipops hanging from the ceiling, a cotton candy station, and even magnified pics of confections on giant panels. I had to stifle the urge to go up and lick the wall a la Willy Wonka.

Congratulations to Emily Goldman, event manager, and Team Fluxx for another great showcase and for reminding us that a cutting edge club like Fluxx can be a great spot to create whatever you can dream up for your special event. www.fluxxsd.com/private-events

SideNote: Have to give a shout-out to my hardworking friend Nada Adjadj of SoBelle Favors who attend the Sweet Shoppe event as just a guest (for once!) She creates amazing confections for special events as well – check her out! www.sobellefavors.com

OK, my souvenir candy necklace keeps distracting me. Time for a treat . . . 

Joanie was a bright star on the Orange County wedding scene. Many years ago, when I was just wetting my feet as a wedding planner, I met Joanie at a California state conference for the Association of Bridal Consultants.

She took me under her wing and for the next three years I assisted her on her events.

Joanie shared so much of her experience, knowledge, tips and tricks with me. She was so generous of spirit and ever compassionate.

Joanie had no qualms about pitching in and doing what needed to be done, no matter how grubby the job. More than anything she took care of everyone she worked with on events, from wait staff to photographers to DJs – always making sure they had what they needed to get the job done.

That, more than anything, has stayed with me, and I am forever grateful to have met and worked with her.

Joanie I will miss you. I can only hope I’ve done you proud.

Rest in peace.

Joanie Scott 7/ 11/1946 - 10/13/2011

Chair covers & linen by Sweet Ribbon Events

Mapping out the guest seating at your reception can be a daunting task for even the most organized bride. So much is wrapped up in the layout, from the simple decision of how many chairs per table, to gracefully negotiating the most delicate of family dynamics.

There are many high-tech programs to create and manipulate the room layout and seating diagram, but for those of you who are kinesthetic and work best in a hands-on mode, the Paper Plate trick is a must-do to handle this challenging task.

Master Consultant Barbara Wallace (author of the newly published Beautiful Bride from Every Angle) delivered this simple but effective technique at the monthly Association of Bridal Consultants San Diego meeting held this month at the stunning Carlsbad Sheraton.

1. Create a sticky or label for each guests.

2. Using one paper plate to represent each guest table, stick the labels around the perimeter of the paper plate.

3. Then arrange the paper plates according to where they will sit next to each other in the room, eg. around the dance floor.

4. As the rsvps come pouring in, you can finalize the “plates” and the positioning in the room. Last-minute changes are easily accommodated by simply switching the labels around.

*This works better than simply drawing the tables on a poster board and writing names in with pencil as after just a few takes your palate can be covered in smudge and eraser marks.

*Be sure you cross-reference the labels with the master guest list to ensure every guest has a label.

Master Consultant Barbara Wallace

Unique linens and chair covers at the Association of Bridal Consultants meeting were supplied by Sweet Ribbon Events / www.sweetribbonevents.com

Florals by Colely decorated the tables / www.sdflowersbycoley.com

Photos by Azul Productions / www.azulproductions.com

As a wedding planner and officiant, I am always quick to point out that I am in the Celebration business, not the marriage business. Even so, with the recent statistics that close to 40% of Americans believe the institution of marriage is doomed, this definitely could have an effect on weddings.

According to a recent AP article, about 39 percent of Americans said marriage was becoming obsolete. These statistics about this institution that we have held so dear, that in many ways is the cornerstone of our society, could seem quite daunting and disheartening.

And yet, it gives me hope.  What an opportunity to revisit one of the most important structures of our American society! This is an exciting time to embrace the idea of shifting the concept of marriage to better accommodate people’s ever-changing, ever-complicated lives and increasingly diverse beliefs about how they want to be in this world. Sometimes when people don’t fit into a perceived mold or stereotype, they believe their way of living isn’t as valued. I believe any time someone takes a new look at tradition, it should be celebrated.

I was drawn to, and continue to enjoy being a part of, the wedding industry because I believe that celebration is so important. We do not celebrate enough. We do not celebrate love enough.

Weddings are an opportunity to be with, in one location, on one day, all the love that you have created for yourself, in the faces of family, friends, colleagues. It is a forum from which you can look back at all the love and support you have received from friends and family to get you to this place, with this partner.

It is an opportunity to set the stage and tone for the marriage that you would like to create; that you are creating.

High divorce rate and low optimism for the state of marriage is not a reason to stop celebrating love. It is an opportunity to have a new viewpoint about marriage. Sometimes things have to be taken apart to allow for something even better to come along. And a new concept of the institution of marriage offers an amazing opportunity to revisit the state of weddings.

Why do People Love Weddings? Probably for as many reasons as there are wedding guests. They love this singular moment of celebration for celebration’s sake.

And they DO love tradition:  it offers a focal point for them to reference, such as What will the dress look like? How elaborate is the cake? Will the bride & groom have a special first dance? Who will catch the bouquet? These are time-honored traditions that help people to celebrate in a familiar framework.

At the same time, do those traditions reflect your true personality and vision? Why not re-create those same traditions, with a twist? Or change them up completely?

For example, instead of a first dance, why not invite EVERYONE onto the dance floor to dance with you.

Instead of a cake-cutting, what if you created a tower of cupcakes, or mini-wedding cakes for each guest table. Or simply offered a donut station instead for that sweet savory after the meal.

Why not invite guests to paint a picture of what love means to them, to replace the guest book?

In my book, the only rule for a successful wedding is Loving Intention.

As a Bride and Groom you are faced with so many questions when planning your wedding:

What is the etiquette for this situation?

What is popular in weddings right now?

What should we do if . . . ?

As a successful coordinator planning weddings for more than 8 years, my job is to formulate solutions for all of your questions, problems, and challenges.

We handle all the details and planning, giving you the space to get creative you’re your vision. Now that you have expert guidance, I invite you to revisit your celebration with Loving Intention.

Using past structures as a reference point is always a good idea when you are first starting out on the planning journey; sort of like using a template or blue print. Let’s go beyond that – what would you truly like to celebrate with your wedding?

Gratitude for everyone in your life?

Enthusiasm for what lays ahead?

Simply a moment to witness love?

I believe the best celebrations include a balance of honoring the love between the bride and the groom, and creating opportunities for participation for all of your guests. Don’t be intimidated by opinion and tradition.

When you attend a wedding, what is the most important experience for you? I’ve witnessed guests let their guard down at weddings in ways they might not ever do in any other social situation:

They dance their hearts out, even those who say they don’t dance.

They take the first step toward mending a family wound.

They express their deepest emotions to each other in a room full of people.

Weddings have evolved over the ages and continue to do so. In the last few years we have seen couples perform highly choreographed first dances to express their own unique personalities as well as entertain their guests, moving away from the standard sedate waltz and incorporating their favorite hiphop or Top40 songs, as they break from the mold and let loose.

If marriage as we know it is evolving in this century, even in this decade, what can we create with wedding celebrations, and how will you participate in that evolution?

Just Imagine . . .

Dazzling display of gourmet cupcakes by Cupcakes Squared

For a twist, a tower of individual gourmet cupcakes offers your guests the opportunity to choose their own personal delight. You can still perform the traditional cakecutting with a small tier or caketop at the top of the cupcake tower. Delish!  Cupcakes provided by Cupcakes Squared. Photo by ChelseaAnn Photograpy

How amazing would it be to have Alicia in the house singing your song on your big day? Maybe you don’t have the budget to snag a superstar to entertain your guests. But you might surprise them with the next best thing.

Hiring a celebrity impersonator is a unique and fun way to have your favorite entertainer make a big impact on the most important day of your life.

Just Imagine . . . 

You might discover you will need the assistance of a dance instructor for your first dance, a financial planner after you are married, a pet sitter to watch your dogs on wedding day, or most especially to learn some communication tools to make your marriage last.

Click Here-JI Resources – Recommendations for resources recommended by Just Imagine. 

Many blessings, luck and love in your new adventure of wedding and marriage!

Especially San Diego’s beautiful downtown–from Little Italy to the Gaslamp District– offers some very cool options for the bride & groom who want something a little edgier and different.

Last night was such a treat to hear the band East Bay Soul play at Anthology down in Little Italy. The band tore the joint up with a smoking horn section, amazing percussion, and one of the most incredible lead vocalists I’ve heard.  Great food and service, too!

Anthology is a perfect blend of sophistication and ease and is a great spot for your wedding reception or rehearsal dinner.

Downtown offers the brand-new Fluxx nightclub – in the former Aubergine space. They did an amazing job of transforming the club- lots of space and still offers an intimate feel ‘in the round.’  Fluxx is available for private events, wedding reception or an additional party space for those extended weekend events.

Great pics by Will Leu of the Campbell Networking group 4/2010!

At Campbell Networking event

Contact Just Imagine to find out more about these and many more fantastic urban options for your very unique wedding celebration!

More than 300 girls from throughout San Diego County were nominated to participate based on the leadership skills they have demonstrated at school, among their friends, and in the community.

I may have served as their mentor for the day but I certainly learned a great deal from them as well.

The overriding topic of the conference was honor your emotions and speak your truth. This can sometimes be difficult for girls, and even women to do, but so important in creating a successful and fulfilling life.

And these can be very powerful reminders for brides as well!

Weddings can bring up some pretty intense emotions and unfamiliar agendas coming from family and friends. It’s a great opportunity to honor how you’re feeling. Decide what is most important to you. And speak your truth to others with integrity and clarity.  No woman wants to be a bridezilla (see Guide to Becoming A Goddess Bride)

Focusing your own strong emotions – whether it’s anger, anxiety or irritation – toward a positive outcome rather than being owned by them – can be such an empowering experience.

Thank you to the Jenna Druck foundation and speaker and author Rachel Simmons for reminding us of the Goddess within all of us.