Mary & Paul ~ A Philadelphia Love Story in Sacramento

Wriiten by Allison Hopkins for Très Fabu Event Planning and Design


"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence.  When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."  ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Paul & Mary Luu reside in Sacramento, California. For their chosen professions, Paul is an Anesthesiologist and Mary is a Clinical Pharmacist. They both love to travel, experience different cultures, and try new foods. 

How They Met 

Mary and Paul met through a mutual friend when they were both living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for school. They did not date at the time, but kept in touch throughout the years.  They didn't start dating until four years later, when he was in his final year of anesthesia residency in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and she had already moved back to California. They had a long distance relationship until he graduated from residency and moved back to California.

The Engagement

For their one-year anniversary of dating, Paul took Mary to Hawaii. She didn't really suspect anything until the day he was going to propose. She had gotten herself a fun costume jewelry ring from the Chanel boutique as a souvenir of their trip, while shopping earlier that day. When she showed it to him he said, "That's not a ring!" He said it a few more times, and that's when she got a tiny bit suspicious. He didn't propose at dinner though, so then she forgot about it.

After dinner that night they went for a walk on the beach. He picked a spot in the sand to sit down and watch the ocean in the moonlight. He then asked if he could see the ring that she had bought that day, because he wanted to get a better look at it. After looking at it again he said, "That's not a ring....(long pause)…THIS is a ring!" He then pulled out a box with the engagement ring, and asked Mary if she would marry him! It truly WAS a ring, and she quickly took off the Chanel ring so that he could put the new engagement ring onto her finger. He proposed to Mary with a beautiful 2.5-carat center stone on a platinum band. He then explained all of the research that he had put into choosing the perfect ring, regarding clarity, cut, color, table depth ratio, culet, and all of these things about a diamond that she had never even heard of before. She was extremely impressed.

 

The Wedding 

Their wedding was on December 18, 2010 in Sacramento, California. They had a traditional Vietnamese ceremony in the morning, where the groom's side of the family comes to the bride’s house. His side of the family lined up in a procession in front of her house before coming in, and then presented red trays of gifts that contained jewelry for the bride and wine, tea, fruits, and cookies for her family. Over 100 of their "closest" family members, on both her side and Paul's side, came to her house for the ceremony. It is customary for the groom's side to then bring the bride back to the groom's house, but since his house was far away, they brought the ceremony to the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, and that represented the groom's house. The ceremony was held in the Capitol Room, which overlooked the California State Capitol. They had a tea ceremony and then had a wedding lunch. The wedding reception in the evening was held at the Asian Pearl restaurant. Their guests were treated to a 10-course dinner, open bar, and entertainment by Mary’s favorite famous Vietnamese singer, Y Lan. Mary’s mom flew Y Lan and her entourage up from southern California to perform at the reception.

Interesting Tidbits: 

For their Honeymoon, Mary and Paul went to: Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Malta. 

Wedding Day Shoes: Christian Louboutin and Yves Saint Laurent. Mary bought her blue Louboutin wedding shoes months before even picking out her wedding dress! When she saw this pair in blue, she absolutely knew that those would be her "something blue.” 

 

Wedding Gown: Demetrios  

 Vietnamese Wedding Dress (ao dai): custom-made by Thai Nguyen Couture

Engagement Ring and Wedding Band: Michael M.


Professional Event Vendor Team:

Event Design; Planning & Production: Debra Michelle Hiebèrt & Très Fabu Event Planning and Design
Wedding Reception Venue: The Asian Pearl
Wedding Tea Ceremony I: The Nguyen Family Residence - Riverlake
Wedding Tea Ceremony II: The Hyatt Hotel - Sacramento
Linens: Mimi & Company
Floral Design: Floral Artistry
Pipe/Drape: Classic Party Rentals
Lighting: BP Productions and Classic Party Rentals
Entertainment/Band: Y Lan from Southern California
Photography: David Kim Photography
Event Paperie: Yen Nguyen Designs
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Wedding Gown: Demetrios
Shoes: Christian Louboutin and Yves Saint Laurent
Wedding Cake: Divine Desserts

Nod of Gratitude from Parents-of-the-Bride for Tres Fabu's 9.24.11 Wedding Celebration

Dear Debra ~

I wanted to send you a note of appreciation for all you did to help make Lindsay & Jeff’s wedding a dream come true. 

The whole day was so amazing!

I felt that their ceremony was particularly meaningful and intimate, the cocktail hour lovely and relaxed, dinner delicious, and the party. . . . fun, fun, fun!

Ken and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!  Shelley McArdle of Floral Artistry’s florals were incredibly beautiful and the rose petal ceremony aisle exquisite.  Dominic Fournier of Extreme Productions did a fantastic job as their DJ and Master of Ceremonies, Christina Addegio of Catta Verdera Country Club was a wonderful wedding coordinator, Cindi & Lorenzo Bartone of CinZo Celebration Photography captured the day beautifully and made us all so relaxed and Esther Aguirre of Divine Desserts by Aguirre’s cake was beautiful and delicious.  BUT none of this would have run smoothly, would of been so perfect, be beyond stunning without you overseeing the entire flow and design for their wedding day.

Everything flowed beautifully and seamlessly.  I am forever grateful for that . . . I did not worry about one thing all day.  I just enjoyed ever second with my daughter and my family.

I also must tell you how stunning the reception room looked!  I am so thankful Ken and I had our own ‘reveal’ of the wedding reception room.  Your attention to the details was amazing.  The tables were set perfectly.  The Head Table and the Fireplace were designed amazingly beautiful & we loved the cake table ~ we LOVED everything.  The room was just transformed into an exceptionally lovely and romantic setting. 

We received many, many compliments!  I know It was a lot of hard work, but I hope you enjoyed the day also.    ;)

I know how busy you are, but perhaps you can find time to meet for coffee or lunch sometime.  Let me know.

Love, Liz & Ken Snyder

Thank you Liz & Ken Snyder for this fabulous note to myself and my hard working team!  The Tres Fabu Event Planning and Design team, along with our preferred and stellar professional vendor team strive for reviews such as the above.  Thank you both for writing to ALL the vendors individually as well.  Incredibly thoughtful.  So many times our lives become so busy we cannot sit down to write a few notes of gratitude to whom we feel indebted somehow.  We appreciate the time you wrote your thanks to ALL of us.  Thank you for hiring and trusting all of us with your daughter, Lindsay & Jeff, your new son-in-laws, wedding day.  It was wonderful to be a part of the journey this past year creating, then full-filling their day as you all wished!  


Thank you to Shelley McArdle/Floral Artistry; Dominic Fournier/Extreme Productions Entertainment, LLC., Esther Aguirre/Divine Desserts by Aguirre; Cindi & Lorenzo Bartone/CinZo Celebration Photography; Emily King/Classic Party Rentals; Christina Adeggio/Catta Verdera Country Club; Baja Limo; Martin Films; Captiol City Confections; By Invitation Only; and everyone else for making this wedding a fun and fabulous day!


Looking forward to our lunch to connect & reminisce about Lindsay & Jeff's wedding weekend in the very near future!

xoxoxoxo,

You are Invited to Serrano Country Club's Bridal Open House!!!

Oh What a Beautiful Day!

Come join Serrano Country Club's Bridal Open House to view their property for your potential wedding or special event!  

This Saturday, November 5th, 2011.

11:00 a.m. ~ 3:00 p.m.

Sip refreshing mimosas as you mingle with professional event vendors and peruse the fabulous & lush grounds of Serrano Country Club views, vistas & venue vantage points!

Kasie and Thomas: A Beautiful Video for a Beautiful Bride and Groom

12,000+ Views of this Wedding Film in 4 months & Counting!

Debra Michelle Hiebèrt, owner of Très Fabu Event Planning and Design, is ecstatic to share the cinema snippet of the wedding event her professional design team created on behalf of her April 2011 bride and groom.  

Please watch as Kasie and Thomas, along with their family and friends, celebrate a day
of unity, love, and nothing less than magic.  Enjoy!

Cinematographer: Robert Balasko of Art Studio Films ~ Europe/Croatia

________________________________________________________________
Received on Thurdsay, May 18th, 2011

Note of Gratitude for the Wedding of Kasie and Thomas ~ from Jann Bytheway, Mother-of-the Bride
Serrano Country Club, El Dorado Hills

Debra ~

Thank you so much for putting on such an incredible wedding for Kasie and Thomas.

It was beautiful, magical...and well, simply awesome!

It will forever be etched in the minds of all those who attended and forever in the hearts of Kasie and Thomas. Debra, thank you for your patience and love, through this whole entire wedding production process. You are a beautiful person and woman. A true treasure you are.

This wedding could never have been accomplished without you. I did not just gain a son-in-law through this process, but also an adopted daughter. I will always be here for you, will always encourage you, will be your mentor, and will always have your back and will always think you are nothing less than Très Fabu!

That’s my adoptive Mom vow to you.


Love & Hugs,
Jann Bytheway
"M2"

The Girl Who Got Married in the Glass Castle

Celebrates Five Years of Marriage

Written by Allison Hopkins for Très Fabu Event Planning and Design
Photography by Marc Weisberg ~ Orange County


"You are the princess to me in my crystal castle of love ~ truly an angel on earth sent to me from above.   Now in our castle of love you will always be by my side, we shall stand together through this life, always near the calming oceans sand, where we will walk in the warm sunset forever, hand-in-hand"   ~ dmh

When Eva stumbled across Fred on the sofa in her college apartment, she didn’t anticipate this stranger would one day be calling her Ladybug. Actually, she was a little annoyed her roommate had agreed to let this colleague (who resembled “Shaggy” from Scooby Doo) camp out a few nights. Little did she know, Fred would become a friend, a boyfriend, and five years later, a wonderful husband.

When it was time to plan their special day, Eva and Fred knew that living in San Francisco and planning a wedding in southern California would be challenging. The couple met with Debra Hiebèrt from Très Fabu Event Planning and Design to discuss their ideas.

“After our initial meeting with Debra, we both agreed she would be a good match for us for several reasons,” says Eva. “Fred really appreciated her respect for our faith. I also felt that she envisioned what I had in mind, and I also remember how easy it was to communicate with her despite just meeting her. Nothing felt forced and I could tell that she was ready and willing to make our dream wedding come true.”

“I remember when Eva slid the box across the table to me during our initial meeting,” says Debra. “She asked me to design her wedding with the beach in mind, but wrapped around the concept of the Tiffany & Co. box that her actual engagement ring came in. I loved it and was truly inspired by the entire idea.”

September 23rd, 2006 was indeed a dream come true for the couple. They were married in the magnificent Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove and were chauffeured to their reception at The Montage Resort in Laguna Beach in a white vintage 1937 Packer complete with a champagne toast!

About 120 guests attended the ceremony and reception with the beautiful bride and groom. Eva was stunning in an Italian silk gown with hundreds of hand-stitched Swarovski crystals and a handmade veil that had been special ordered by her father.



“I felt very special and blessed the minute I got into my dress,” says Eva. “I remember the private moment that my mom and I shared as she helped me get dressed. I was looking into the mirror as she lifted the heavy material behind me to extend my dress and veil. I can actually remember the sound of the material and how quiet the room was. No words were exchanged, except for a prayer before she started to cry.”

The colors of the day were Tiffany blue, platinum, and white. Dinner tables were draped in aqua linens, the chairs all had white slipcovers, and each chair had a bow on the back, reminiscent of a Tiffany & Co. jewelry box. The design team at Wildflower Linen died the satin fabric of the overlay linens to match the Tiffany & Co. box perfectly and they were complete with matching Swarovski crystals to tie in with Eva's gown.



“The lighting was perfect,” says Eva. “I remember blues and whites. It was all very elegant and classic.”

For the two-hour cocktail event held at The Montage Resort’s appropriately named 'Oceanfront Lawn' overlooking the lovely Pacific ocean, Debra designed in whites and rhinestones, giving guests a glimpse of what was to come in the ballroom for the glorious reception (also inspired by Eva’s gown).

There were several different types of fresh seafood served — oysters on the half shell, jumbo prawns, and four sushi chefs preparing authentic and fresh sushi right in front of the guests! Adult libations during the cocktail event and throughout the remainder of the wedding celebration included: 1996 Dom Perignon, 2003 Duckhorn Vineyards, Far Niente, Heitz Cellars, and Domain Drouhin.

For dinner, guests had their choice of several dishes, including a rack of lamb, filet mignon, chicken, and lobster bisque. Everyone enjoyed an ice cream bar! But there’s always room for cake…

The couple chose to have two wedding cakes. One was very traditional and the other was designed by Eva. It had a ladybug and a frog on it (their nicknames for each other our Ladybug & Frogger) and was created by The Montage Resort lead pastry chef from a picture that Eva had drawn for Fred while they were dating.

J & M Entertainment played all the classics throughout the evening (Sinatra, Bobby Darin, etc.) and also included a few 1940s Cuban songs by Carmen Delia that Eva grew up listening to. This is when Eva’s mother began to cry, again, and thanked her. They are her mother’s favorite tunes.

“One thing I remember Debra telling me was how important it was to take mental pictures because it was all going to happen incredibly fast, and she was right,” says Eva. “I only remember a whirlwind of blurry images of that morning as I was getting ready, but I can clearly remember all the different smells and sounds. I can still hear Sade playing through the speakers. However, one thing that stands out is walking to the lobby of The Montage and hearing the limos coming in, and Fred’s dad saying ‘That’s for you, Eve. Saddle up!’”

A four-year-old girl who attended the wedding still refers to Eva as “the girl who got married in the glass castle.”




As the couple celebrates 5th Wedding Anniversary, they also recently made another dream come true and bought a house by the beach that they share with their two Westies, Winston and Tails. Fred is preparing himself to start his own business. Eva just got her Master’s in stem cell research. They live just miles from The Montage Resort & Spa and the beach, and each time they drive on Pacific Coast Highway to go to school or work, it reminds them that their special day was not just a dream ~ but a blissful reality created by Debra Hiebert of Tres Fabu Event Planning and Design and her team of stellar professional vendors.


Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. Harris!  Cannot believe it's been five years!  My heart is always with you both!

Wedding Design, Planning, and Execution: Très Fabu Event Planning and Design ~ www.TresFabuEvents.com

Photography: Marc Weisberg Photography ~ www.MarcWeisberg.com/orange-county-los-angeles-destination-wedding-photographer

Catering: The Montage Resort, Laguna Beach ~ www.MontageLagunaBeach.com

Cake: The Montage Resort, Laguna Beach ~ www.MontageLagunaBeach.com

Linens: Wildflower Linen ~ www.WildflowerLinens.com

Music & Lighting: J & M Entertainment ~ www.jamentevents.com

Floral Design: The late Edward Bellingeri of Edward Bellingeri Design

Escort Cards/Table Signage/Menus: Robyn Lyn Steward of House of Monarch ~ www.HouseofMonarch.com

The Sheraton Grand Sacramento ~ Celebrating 10 Wonderful Years in Style!

The Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel recently celebrated their 10^th Anniversary.  

The hotel originally opened in 2001 in downtown Sacramento and commemorated the date with a private event for their clients and members of the community.  As one of the hotel’s preferred vendors, Tres Fabu Event Planning and Design, was invited to participate in the event and showcase some of the jaw-dropping weddings and special events they have created for numerous clients held at the hotel.

Tres Fabu Event Planning and Design stated that it was an honor to be asked to create a room filled with Vintage Italian Charm.   

Thank you to the other fabulous professional vendors that assisted with the overall design: Shelley McArdle of Floral Artistry, Wildflower Linens, Classic Party Rentals; Divine Desserts & CinZo Celebration Photography, along with Tres Fabu Event Planning and Design, for participating in this celebration milestone of 

The Sheraton Grand's Sacramento History.

The Hollywood Reporter: "Hitched, Hatched, Hired!"

AnaMaria & Walter's Wedding Day Scoop Via The Hollywood Reporter!

Fantabulous wedding day celebration held at The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara.

Nod of Gratitude to the entire Professional Vendor Team from Parents of the Bride

Enjoy a sweet, wonderful and blissful nod of gratitude from our Parents-of-the-Bride ~ the entire team of vendors so enjoy hearing their heartfelt sentiment regarding ALL of our professional efforts on behalf of their families!  We all had a blast working together.

It was truly a fabulous wedding event this past June. We loved working with everyone on this wedding ~ and a hearty congratulations to Katie & Sean ~ the night was magic!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dear Dream Makers ~

Mr. and Mrs. Thiers are successfully off and at this moment in the air on their way to Italy and we want to thank you for making their dream wedding become a reality.

Debra, the Ballroom looked spectacular and gorgeous and simply magical. The lighted hedges added so much more than we could have envisioned!

Shelley (Floral Artistry), the florals (all of them, from the elegant urn arrangements down to the little flower girl head wreath) were so absolutely perfect and gorgeous! As I told Debra, it was all I could do to keep from crying at having to leave them when we headed home at the end of the night! Katie's bouquet was the most beautiful we have ever seen. Thankfully, we know that we have them documented by the best photographer and videographer for us to enjoy in pictures forever. Matt (Extreme Productions), everyone had so much fun and we have you to thank for that. Our officiant, Grandpa Bill, was so impressed with your professionalism and the way you made him feel comfortable and ready to go; and everyone loved your outgoing and friendly personality. Esther (Divine Desserts by Aguirre), the wedding cake was fabulous!! Just fabulous!! Again, I am so glad we will have pictures of it to keep forever. And it was absolutely delicious. The groom's cake was a complete hit with Sean and with everyone else at the rehearsal dinner. It was so perfectly what we hoped it would be - so fun and so delicious. Jessica (SacBallroom), you were always so helpful and available, and we would like to thank you again for that; and please tell Jeremy that our guests raved about the deliciousness of both the appetizers and the dinner selections, and it was obvious to anyone watching the guests dancing that they certainly enjoyed the cocktails which were presented beautifully by your bartenders. Phill (Phillip Alan Films), you and our bride and groom "hit it off" so well when you met just before the wedding.

We already knew your work would be fabulous, and with the interests and likes it turns out that you share, we are even more excited to see the wedding video than we were before they met you. (Especially after watching your assistant scale the walls of the Ballroom to get the over head sparkler shot!).

Sarah (Sarah Dawson Photography), you always have such a pleasant, calm, smiling, positive presence about you, which is just what we needed on wedding day; and it was obvious just watching from a distance as you worked that these are going to be fantastically gorgeous and timeless wedding pictures.

Seriously, we can't thank you ALL enough,

Mike and  Kathy Breining ~ Parents of the Bride

(Mr. Sean & Mrs. Katie too)

In Honor of Independence Day: Ben and Molly ~ Their First Year Flew By, Literally!

Congratulations on Your Anniversary!
Written by Allison Hopkins for Très Fabu Event Planning and Design
It’s not everyday that you meet a bride and groom who both fly C-17s for the United States Air Force. This 174 ft. aircraft is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo and can also perform tactical airlift, medical evacuation, and airdrop missions.

But on June 5th, 2010, Ben and Molly had a much different mission: to become husband and wife, and to celebrate this unity among family and friends in a beautiful ceremony.

“I wish I could do it all over again,” says Molly, remembering the special day at Northridge Country Club in Fair Oaks, California. “I loved everything about it!”

One hundred and fifty guests, including a bridal party of ten bridesmaids and ten groomsmen, gathered at the country club at 6:30 p.m. to witness the joining of families. Reverend Ed Donaghy (revedweddings.vpweb.com) performed a nondenominational Christian ceremony, which included a handfasting ceremony while the couple promised their vows. Tank, the couple’s English Bulldog, had a very important role as the ringbearer!

 Wearing a Priscilla of Boston gown, Molly made her entrance down the aisle of white rose petals. Her dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, a ruched bodice, and a modified A-line skirt.

“I have never felt more beautiful than I did that day!” says Molly.

From the beginning of the ceremony to the dinner, reception, and wee hours of the night, an amazing team executed this flawless event:

Très Fabu Event Planning and Design  

www.tresfabuevents.com

[Molly] The wedding literally could not be done without Debra and Très Fabu Events. I lived in Seattle at the time, Ben lived in Oklahoma, and my mom was the only person actually in Sacramento. While I was deployed, my mom and sister researched wedding planners and fell in love with Debra.

Debra and her team were always professional, and made me feel like a queen. Debra listened to all my ideas and offered fantastic suggestions to help me create a beautiful atmosphere. Black was the main color used, incorporated in the table decorations, the chairs, the cake, the bridal party, the flowers (by Shelley McArdle of Floral Artistry, www.floralartistrybyshelley.com)…white and champagne colors accented the black very nicely…but it was not too overdone.

CinZo Photography  

www.cinzophoto.com

[Molly] The pictures were fantastic, and Cindi and Lorenzo were amazing. They blended into the background and were able to capture all the events as they were happening…nothing felt too posed.

 Divine Desserts  

www.divinedessertsbyaguirre.com

[Molly] The cake was EXACTLY what I wanted. The cake was four tiers, chocolate mousse with white buttercream frosting. I LOVE buttercream and mousse! It was so good!!!

Extreme Productions

www.extremeprodjs.com

[Molly] The lighting was absolutely perfect. It created such a romantic mood.

Philosophia (Paperie)

www.laphilosophia.com

[Molly] I loved the way the seating chart, programs, and table markers used the stripes and polka dots from the invitations to keep with the theme.

Northridge Country Club  

www.northridgegolf.com

[Molly] The country club provided the appetizers and dinner, and it was delicious.

At the end of the night, Debra [Très Fabu Events] had her team deliver In-N-Out burgers and french fries to the party (from three local restaurants)!

Pop Fiction Band

www.popfictionlive.com

The couple shares many fond memories of dancing to the music that was performed by Pop Fiction (an 8-piece "party band extraordinaire”) during the reception. Their first dance was to “This Kind of Love” by Sister Hazel; Molly danced with her father to “I hope you dance”; with her mother to “My Girl”; and was hoisted in the air, along with her hubby, during “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey.
“After seeing how wonderful it is to have a wedding planner [Très Fabu Event Planning and Design], I will always advise my friends to hire Debra and her team,” says Molly. “I felt so calm and reassured knowing there was someone who cared about my wedding as much as I did.”

Ben and Molly honeymooned in Playa del Carmen for a week and had a wonderful time. After four years of long distance (including their first year of marriage), the couple moved to Charleston, South Carolina and is enjoying their time together. They are so thankful for such a beautiful wedding and the support and love of their friends and family.

Tres Fabu Has Been Featured in Wedding Chicks!

Event: Wedding of Seanna & Garrett
Day: November 10th, 2010
Location: Citizen Hotel, Sacramento, CA 
Visit: www.weddingchicks.com/2011/06/22/tresfabuevents/

Seanna and Garrett  —  A Vintage Romance With a Modern Day Twist 
Written by Allison Hopkins for Très Fabu Event Planning and Design

The Theme
Seanna described the vision of her wedding as shabby, elegant, whimsy, and vintage… with a dash of girly-girl!

The Venue
The Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento, California is a boutique hotel known for its fabulous ‘rat pack’ forties charm! The venue was perfect; it had the rustic brick and the black grilled framed windows Seanna adored, coupled with the soft, permanent fabric-lined rooftop on the hotel’s Metropolitan Terrace. A truly perfect backdrop.

The Decor

• A table with past wedding pictures from many family members welcomed the guests when they came off the elevators. This table also had a fabulous hat from the early 80s that Seanna’s mother wore on her wedding day. It received many wild comments!
• A vintage frame from the 40s with a welcome sign was hanging in a tall iron birdcage stand; another table had a vintage chandelier donned with candles in silver fleur-de-lis candleholders.
• A Wedding Wishes book from the 40s, laden with pearls; a tall stand filled with little pearls; a crown; and a silver tray with S&G tags underneath a dome of glass.
• “Thank You” paddles and an "S&G" sign was hung over the bar on a vintage mirror.
• Heart-shaped escort cards were showcased during the cocktail hour to direct guests to their dinner table.
• Wooden table numbers had been created by the bride with supplies from local craft stores in Portland, Oregon. Utilizing her love of paper, she found scrapbook paper pieces (different in their patterns but similar in the color palate) and she painted all the wooden numbers and wooden frames in white, and assembled them all together. They truly added a perfect element of charm to each table.
• The wedding menus were handwritten and greeted each guest when they found their table. Simple and charming.
• The champagne linens on the tables had a creamy damask pattern running throughout that served as a wonderful base for the various pink, cream, and white florals of different heights—these arrangements were placed in vintage mercury glass containers, some new and some old. Soft pink satin napkins and  silver chivari chairs, which tied in with the floral containers, complemented the table linens.
  

The Flowers
The flowers encompassed her love of pinks (some soft and brighter hues), creams, and whites; all in both new vintage silver looking vases and actual vintage vases. Her bouquet was tied in vintage lace and modern day satin ribbon, with a vintage pearl broach and a picture of her and her sweet Dad. He unfortunately lost his four year battle to cancer a few months after hiring our Tres Fabu Events entourage and the whole wedding team took to Seanna with extra “wedding wings” to carry her through to the day.

The Cake
Seanna’s inspirational image for the cake design was all pink — bright pinks, pink feathers, pink everything. Debra (Très Fabu Events) took this design and reworked it. She added more cream color into the concept of the cake, cream diamond tufts, pink flowers, a vintage crown jewel from the 20s, and jewel pieces to make it slightly more appropriate for a wedding. Debra kept in mind Seanna’s vision of “shabby/elegant/whimsy/vintage/with a dash of girly-girl,” as she would state throughout the planning process to everyone involved. Each side of the cake had a double handled vintage silver tray with two apothecary jars filled with various candies (all in pink), and silver organza bags for the guests to fill to their hearts desire.

Congratulations to Brent and Jillian Meinyer on their First Anniversary!

Written by Allison Hopkins for Très Fabu Event Planning and Design

A woman named Anna Akhmatova once said, “Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life."

At Viaggio Winery in Lodi, California, miles and miles from the small towns of Italy, a couple’s dream of an Italian/Versaille inspired wedding came to life. For Brent and Jillian Meinyer, this type of wedding was a vision they shared—but the couple had no idea how perfect and real it could become on the breezy summer evening of June 19.

 “Every minute and detail was crisply carried out to our benefit by Debra and her whole ‘Dream Team,’” says Jillian. “They can take your lives and pick out so many moments that they know will mean the world to you later.”

The private estate, surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and the Mokelumne River, set the romantic feel for the evening…while Très Fabu and the amazing vendors that were selected for this day each played an important part in executing the fabulous event.

“We based the entire wedding off of Jillian’s original color palate of champagnes, ivories, soft apricots and a dash of petal pink,” says Debra Hiebèrt, owner of Très Fabu. “Then when she found the gown of her dreams—that's when I went into overdrive design—and launched off of Shelley's florals as well.”

Shelley McArdle from Floral Artistry started her design based on a single photo that Jillian had selected. From there, she created elegant and vintage arrangements…roses and hydrangeas were used abundantly, and shiny ribbons and sparkly rhinestones added a perfect touch to the flowers. Each flower girl and junior bridesmaid carried her own purse made purely of flowers!

“Shelly is such an amazing person,” says Jillian. “She really stretched every dollar to make the most outstanding floral arrangements that we have ever seen. She made us feel like we were the most special people on earth.”

Brent’s black Armani tuxedo was complemented by a calla lily boutonniere with rhinestones. And then came the bride, who according to her new husband, “…absolutely knocked everyone out with how stunningly beautiful she looked!”

In a strapless, ivory gown that truly captured the romance of the evening, Jillian held a bouquet of light pink and cream roses, and cream calla lilies, and made her way down an aisle covered in pink and cream rose petals arranged in a swirl design.

“When she first saw her bouquet, she [Jillian] was in aw…she kept saying ‘this is just so beautiful,’” says McArdle.

Pastor Kevin Brown from Lodi met the beautiful Bride and Groom at the altar. Beforehand, he asked the couple to come up with five reasons to marry each other, and planned on including them in the ceremony. To their amusement, he repeated the reasons almost word for word—keeping the ceremony fun, meaningful, and most of all, memorable.

After the pronouncement of husband and wife, Jillian and Brent had a fun surprise for the crowd. “At the end of our ceremony—Brent has always been a long time Indiana Jones fan—so we played the theme music as we made our way down the aisle together on our new adventure as newlyweds,” says Jillian.

Everyone was shocked when an aerial confetti streamer launched as well! “They were crying and laughing…it was the perfect touch by Matt at Extreme Productions,” says Jillian.

Extreme Productions created a customized entertainment and production company for the entire event…each song was hand selected, personalized bridal party introductions were created, and the soundtrack for each scene had an energy and feel that was reflective of the moment. There was even a 3D moon projection on the wall near the cake (Jillian’s request)!

“As soon as we secured services with Brent and Jillian, we went right to work on getting to know their personality, their story, their interests, style, and taste,” says Matt Brys from Extreme Productions. “From there, we were able to build out the ‘experience’ of the day (the music, energy, MC work, lighting, production, announcements, etc… and we added in extra flair with lighting and confetti cannons for that WOW factor!”

An indoor reception followed the ceremony, with beautiful candlelit tables, gold plates, and gold chairs. Guests enjoyed catering provided by Viaggio Winery, which included several appetizers, filet mignon, shrimp, portobello mushroom, and lamb. The fabulous meal was followed by Divine Desserts’ scrumptious three-tiered ivory cake, with details of ivory roses around each layer.

Brent and Jillian started the dancing for the night with “It’s Your Love” by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. With the moon projected in the background, and the lighting dark and intimate, the couple was truly “Dancin' in the dark, middle of the night, takin' your heart and holdin' it tight…”

Capturing all the special moments, from the private glances between the newly married couple to the fun and glory of the night, was Cinzo Photography. “We could not believe the amount of detail and thought that was put into taking each shot,” says Brent. “They went above and beyond for us!”

As the day is now a precious memory for the couple (and also was captured in detail by Thomas Hughes Video) Brent and Jillian are both very pleased with their decision to hire a wedding planner. “It was most important for us, as the Bride and Groom, to truly enjoy our day, our love, our way... and it was worth the extra amount of money to have someone else carry the burden of the minor details,” says Brent.

If there was just one word to describe how they felt that day? Overjoyed…that they had a tremendous amount of family and friends to share in their enjoyment and love, and overjoyed with one another as absolute soul mates.


Matt Brys agrees that this day was perfect in everyway. “Très Fabu spent countless hours ensuring she [Debra] knew the vibe and feel of the client and designed a masterpiece that made Brent and Jillian speechless,” says Brys.

According to Brent and Jillian, “You’re not getting married if you’re not ‘Très Fabu’”!!

For more information about the venue and vendors, please visit:

www.viaggiowinery.com

www.floralartistrybyshelley.com

www.extremeprodjs.com

www.divinedessertsbyaguirre.com

www.cinzophoto.com

www.thomashughesvideo.com

www.mimiandcompany.com 

www.classicpartyrentals.com

www.stephaniejdesigns.com