California Wedding Wave | Ceremony Magazine Wedding Blog

{Photography by} Jeffrey Neal Photography & Susanne Michel of Sweet Art

Meet the owner and creative force behind Sweet Art of Orange County. Swiss educated pastry chef and designer, Susanne Michel was born and raised in a bakery in a little mountain town in Switzerland. As a Swiss pastry chef, Susanne creates all of her works of art from scratch using only the finest ingredients, often imported from Switzerland and other parts of Europe. Her eye for design is focused on clean craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each project reflects the unique style of her clients. Susanne’s philosophy is that the product should mirror them.

As a pastry chef, Susanne designs gorgeous cakes for the couple’s wedding day, but also complements those works of art with delicate, hand-crafted edible name cards. As you peruse these beautiful images, look closely at the how she has combined chocolate and calligraphy to create harmonious décor elements that bring out the beauty of the cake and become scrumptious favors for the couple’s fortunate guests.

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{Photography by} Cean One Photography & Still Life Cinema Photography

Dream Events by Courtney is one of California Wedding Wave’s most recent sponsors. We are so happy to share just a taste of what she can bring to your big day! Here are her answers to some questions I posed to her recently:

Share with our readers your philosophy on wedding planning:

Dream Events was created with the passion of planning weddings and the joy we get from the people we work with. We specialize in taking your vision and turning it into reality. We work with the most talented and creative professionals and strive to go above and beyond to deliver a stress free wedding. Most of us have been dreaming of our wedding day since we were little girls, the right dress, the perfect flowers and let’s not forget our prince charming. We are here for you at any stage to help that dream come true. We go above and beyond all those desires to create a once in a lifetime moment with our skill, knowledge, personality and professionalism.

How do you approach interacting with couples planning for their wedding day?

I work with my couples in what ever way they like, some want to play a very active role and some just say, “this is what we want, can you do it?!?!” I become very close with all my clients and have built many friendships that have lasted long after the wedding. I like to refer to myself as the Fun & Fabulous wedding planner, silly I know but this is a big step in my clients lives and I want them to truly enjoy every minute of it. I have a big personality and I love to make people laugh, hell I laugh at myself all the time!!

What advice can you offer to couples planning their nuptials?

My advice for couples planning their wedding is to put their lives and the time it takes to plan a wedding into perspective. It takes 200+ hours to plan a wedding, and I am sure most brides have never really put on such an affair so be realistic not only with the amount of time you probably don’t have but with your budget as well. The idea of planning a wedding always seems fun and exciting but when reality sets in, it tends to become very overwhelming. Also, get a notebook and use it even if you have a planner, we do our best to keep everyone on the same page but having a reference point when you need it is always best.

Reach out to Courtney to help you plan the wedding of your dreams by calling 714.336.4136 or by visiting her site or her page here on California Wedding Wave!

There is nothing more romantic than saxophone music, especially when paired with the genre of Latin jazz. One of our fabulous sponsors, Rodrigo Santic is a Northern California musician that not only brings his talent to ensemble groups but will perform solo during reception events and cocktail hours. Right now, I can imagine myself swaying to his music with a martini in hand celebrating the joy that lies ahead for the newlywed couple. Ahh, that’s a sweet dream! Let Rodrigo Santic bring your dreams to reality.

Where: Your Special Event
When: Anytime
RSVP: rsantic{at}gmail.com or 510.926.5009

Images courtesy of charla BLUE Photography‘s blog with Photography shown above by Lyndsey of Jack & Lola Photography.

Have you ever walked into a new place and really felt at home there? That’s what it was like when I strolled into Studio 404 Weddings in Long Beach last week. Studio 404 Weddings is the merging of four wedding vendors in a shared consulting space. These talented women work during the week by appointment but are open every Sunday between 10:00 A.M and 3:00 P.M. to display viewings of their work and the work of other Long Beach wedding professionals. Studio 404 Weddings is comprised of Bride and Bloom Wedding Flowers, charla BLUE Photography, Erica O’Brien Cake Design and Paper Cut Industries. Last week, they celebrated the grand opening of their storefront with a party. Many of their wedding pro friends came together to make this a momentous occasion.

Catering: Primal Alchemy
Makeup: Yve Hart – Experience Beauty with Me
Décor: Candice of DeLovely Events
Photography: Jack & Lola Photography
Rentals: Signature Party Rentals
Entertainment: SoCal Ceremony Music
Wine: José of Long Beach Musuem of Art

The beauty of Studio 404 Weddings is that it can be your one-stop wedding shop if you choose it to be. Their goal is to make sure that every couple gets the wedding of their dreams. These gals are as sweet as the cakes that Erica bakes!

Photography by: Scott Sporleder Photography and Jessica Flores ~ LA Wedding Sitter

Last month I wrote about one of our fabulous clients who provides a valuable service to couples planning to tie the knot, The LA Wedding Sitter! In the post, I mentioned the qualifications that these wedding pros have to make you feel comfortable placing other people’s children in their care. What I didn’t mention was all the fun the kiddies are going to have while with them!

What do you do when you attend a wedding reception? Eat? Drink? Socialize? Well, the wee ones get to be involved in the same great activities, plus, they can take a nap if it’s just too much fun! Haven’t you wished you could curl up in the corner for a quick 20 winks? LA Wedding Sitter provides age appropriate toys, games, music, stories, arts & crafts and movies. There is a soft play area, nap environment, supervision of children’s meals, along with cookie and cupcake decorating!

Photography by: Jen Bosma Photography

Jenny Minns and Cara Thomson have merged years of experience in the worlds of fashion, event planning and design to create Luxe Special Events in San Diego. While Luxe Special Events participates in the coordination of corporate events and special occasion planning, their passion is in the coordination of weddings. Jenny and Cara pride themselves on getting to know the couple in order to create a memorable event while allowing the pair to relax and enjoy the process.

You want your guests to have a fabulous time at your wedding and you love children, but you’re just not sure if weddings and children are a winning combination. Well, one of our sponsors, LA Wedding Sitter has a solution for you! This Los Angeles based on-site event childcare service serves all of Southern California. They ensure a baby/kid-friendly event for your guests, while creating a fun, supervised and safe environment for the little attendants.

LA Wedding Sitter is a group of professional babysitters who provide full supervision of the little guests.

• State of California CPR and Pediatric First Aid Certified
• Screened at Trustline
• Licensed and Insured
• 15 Years of Childcare and Event Experience

What is better than the sweet sound of smooth saxophonic stylings? Having it live at your event! NorCal’s Rodrigo Santic, one of our newest sponsors, adds a dash of soulful spice to your entertainment repertoire.

How often are you able to find multi-tasking businesses? One of our talented new sponsors, Black Boxx Photography, not only brings fabulous imagery to the bride and groom, but the talent behind Black Boxx Photography, Sade, can also breathe new life into your celebration through her delicate calligraphy from I Heart Calligraphy.

Modern 8 Films is one of California Wedding Wave’s newest sponsors. These Southern California videographers not only preserve the memory of your wedding day, but they also allow you to choose stylized options that reflect your individuality. Whether you seek something glossy and high def or a look that suits a vintage flair, Ted and Alanna Hinkle are “aiming” to please!