Vendor Collaboration:: Arizona Foothills Magazine

The one and only Gina Meola asked my husband and I if we wanted to be her bride and groom models for an upcoming photo shoot she was doing. While I said "YES!" right away my hubby didn't find it quite as exciting as I did.

As you can see below, he did it, he looked SO handsome and we had so much fun.

It was honestly like we got married all over again AND we like our look SO much that these pictures just might replace some from our real day.

We joke that our children are going to think we got married 50 times and not know which pictures are our real ones!

For a full vendor list and details about the shoot scroll to the bottom!

Gina, you are so gifted. Seriously. Amazing.

Rings were borrowed from the owner of this private boat Suzy Alofs. That girl has more style than any girl I know!!

Red soles, what else is there to say?

He looks so good in suits...my favorite thing ever.

Dinner with amazing friends!

I always get this dressed up for dinner. It's just what I do.

Fashion Stylist: Alex of AVE Styles
Matthew Christopher Wedding Gown: Mariee Bridal
Shoes and Wardrobe: Sakes Firth Avenue
Catering: Creative Hands Cuisine
Florals and Decor: Encore Creative
Sweet Treats: Tammie Coe Cakes
Venue Rental: Bella Palazzo
Hair and Makeup: Arthur Frederico
Stationery: The Paper Place

Featured:: Arizona Foothills Magazine's Wedding Planner

Just in case my love of sweets couldn't get any worse, I went ahead and decided to become a wedding planner.

Cakes, chocolate favors, cupcakes, dessert bars, after party ice cream bars.....you name it I have tasted it for clients! I have to make sure it tastes good before it gets served to the guests {or that's my excuse anyway}.

This week our article on Arizona Foothills Magazine's Wedding BUZZ Blog is all about cake stands. From bling to Anthropolgie we covered it all.

{Photo Courtesy of Raise The Cake}

We LOVE being a part of Arizona Foothills Magazine's luxury wedding blog!

Thank you for letting us share our wedding trend advice!

Heaven:: Malibu Wedding Planning

Malibu, home to celebrities, the rich and famous but it's also known for some pretty fabulous weddings.

On a hot, beautiful California day 50 wedding industry professionals gathered hillside on one of Malibu's most beautiful wedding venues, Church Estate Vineyards. WIPA hosted their monthly outing amongst the beautiful vineyards, waterfalls and stunning gardens.

{Beautiful Photos Courtesy of Imagery Immaculate}

A cocktail mingling session took place amongst the vineyards. I LOVED the yellow linens and bright colored flowers by Bound, A Floral and Event Studio & Floral Sense LLC.

It is rare as a planner that you get to enjoy the event itself and not actually planning it!

Mixologist Dan Smith from Good Gracious Events Los Angeles & Beverly Hills was on sight making the perfect summer cocktails.
Just in case you stick to wine {like myself} Church Estate makes their own private labeled wine. It was amazing!!!

Honestly, how amazing is the presentation?! From the setting to the beautiful food, it was a perfect way to spend the day.

I do have to say that there is never a dull "meeting" or industry function in the wedding planning world. They are always colorful, eventful and full of surprises!

After our walk through the vineyard it was off to hear some fabulous speakers chat about the California wedding industry and social media. The topics ranged from print magazines like The Knot to wedding Blogs like Broke Ass Bride.

Honestly, can I have one of these Raj Tents as my office?! They are so regale and elegant.The amazing Pauline Perry from Good Gracious Events hosted and made us all laugh with her charming sense of humor {OMGosh, that chandelier in the tent is stunning!}

Yes, this is how we spent our day...working. *love it*

The outside grass area turned tented living room was made complete by Form Decor and the comfy chic couches! AND of course, no couch is ever made perfect without throw pillows {that's just how event designers work!}Parasols for the "hot" 80 degree sun. ;)I feel like this is an "Ashley Gain" tent. Agreed?After our learn session it was off to lunch. Again provided by the talented Good Gracious Events who did an amazing job catering the affair.Each table was dress in summer colors around a pound. Swans, beautiful Monet inspired gardens and private table areas was the perfect ending event to a perfect wedding filled day.

The menu's were inside these little boxes. A very creative touch that was also unexpected. Guest's always LOVE surprises and the unexpected!

Stripes and patterns are SO in with wedding decor right now. Using a hint of pattern on a few tables really adds that POP in pictures.

What would a party for party planners if there wasn't a fabulous dessert and coffee bar at the end? Yummy mini donuts provided by The Fry Girl, Inc first and coffee from Cappuccino Club to keep me awake after all the eating second!

Whether you are in Malibu, Scottsdale or in your own home little surprises and attention to detail go a LONG way. You only get one opportunity to make a first impression!

{Beautiful Photos Courtesy of Imagery Immaculate}

Inspired Inspiration:: Lady Gaga

Each song tells a story, listen to the lyrics. Reread the text. Study the fine print.

She still lives in the same Manhattan Apartment that she lived in before she was famous. She doesn't want to loose the inspiration that created her as who she is.

That inspiration comes from the streets of New York:: the lights, the colors, the ugly and the pretty.

She believes in the people around her.

She believes in herself.

She is Lady Gaga.

This is not an infomercial for Lady Gaga. This is my platform to explain something that I call Inspired Inspiration.

So many times in the wedding world people are inspired by other people's work. They save pictures of other weddings, cut out pictures from magazines, and spend hours upon hours on

wedding blogs.

Lady Gaga is such a huge inspiration for me. You don't have to like her to understand my thoughts. If you put in her CD and listened to it from song 1 to song 14 you would hear something totally and completely different on each track. Original Talent.

Weddings are art. Their designs are created by artists. To achieve a beautiful authentic wedding design you must genuinely hold those ideas and inspiration inside you. Anyone can open a wedding magazine and duplicate, it's not hard. True talent and art can't be duplicated, they are authentic and original.

Since the day I began in the wedding business I always thought it was strange that wedding industry peers become inspired by other people's work within the same industry. Could you imagine Beyonce trying to do what Lady Gaga does? All music would sound the same AND it would destroy their individual talent.

I'm totally and completely inspired by outside inspiration. Things that make my heart beat fast. Like a store window, the cover of a magazine, a pair of shoes, a song, a bride's favorite movie, a groom's favorite restaurant when I begin the design for a bride's wedding.

When you start planning your wedding choose artists who can transform your heart and dreams into every detail of your wedding day.

It shouldn't be easy. It should be well thought out. Your wedding should answer the question:: "Who is this bride & groom?" It should be on your tables, in the lighting, in the songs being played.

This quote from Lady Gaga is how I feel in my heart.

How I will someday be someones inspired inspiration just like she is mine.

Featured:: Arizona's Finest Weddings COVER

The perfect wedding colors.

The perfect wedding dress.

The perfect wedding date.

The perfect wedding theme.

Sounds perfect, right? But what does "perfect" really mean?? The only time that something is going to be TRULY perfect on your day is when you make it TRULY yours.....so let's rephrase those sentences for you.

YOUR perfect wedding colors.

YOUR perfect wedding dress.

YOUR perfect wedding date.

YOUR perfect wedding theme.

When I was asked to stylize a shoot for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites Magazine at the beautiful Paradise Valley Montelucia Resort & Spa I was beyond excited.

So, it was time to brain storm and come up with the perfect stylization. I decided on the Moroccan flair of the resort mixed with a girl-next-door bride as my inspiration.

So many times in weddings we see the same things over and over again. As a bride you have the ability to take what you love and design an entire wedding around it.

In this shoot, even though our bride is not of Indian dissent she "loves" the colors and vibrancy of true Hindu weddings. We took something she "loved" and made it her wedding day.

Bottom Line:: There is no perfect inspiration for wedding, there is only what is perfect for YOUR inspiration.

Magazine:: Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites and Services

Venue:: Montelucia Resort & Spa

Stylist:: Ashley Gain Weddings & Events/Ashley Gain

Photography:: Marriott Photography/Marnee Marriott

Flowers:: Your Event Florist/Kevin & Shawna Reed

Stationary:: The Event Essentials/Kim McDowell

Linens:: Wildflower Linens

Cake:: La Dolce Pesca Bakery

Hair:: Joya Spa

Makeup:: Corinna Cooke

Wedding Dress:: Mariee

Grooms Attire:: Mr. Formal

Rentals:: Classic Party Rentals

Pillows:: Encore Creative

Jewelry:: RGK D'Zines

Ashley Gain:: Cover Shoot

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. Ashley Gain graces Arizona's Magazine Cover.

{Photos Courtesy of Laura Segall}

I was absolutely inspired by sapphire {yes, it's quite possible it's because of darling Princess Kate} when I started designing this cover shoot for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites.

Jewel tones are some of my absolute favorite colors to work with. They are true colors from precious stones, colors that our little mother earth creates for us to enjoy.

Blue and white automatically come across very modern so I wanted to make sure that we still gave it a traditional feel. By incorporating the white detailed inner dress Finnia by Enzoni and giving her a very elegant Audrey Hepburn bun I wanted to see the design turn a bit more traditional.

The water surrounding Millenium Resort made the blue details sparkle and Annie our beautiful model's eyes pop.

Flowers arrangements and designs were clean and structured to match the clean lines and decor that I have been stylizing off of. Paper detailing was inspired by a pattern called quatrefoil where geometric shapes meet glamorous patterns.

Custom fabrics covered four pillars at the front of the asile {all different sizes} to allow brides to see how the color doesn't have to be in the flowers.

The vendors that helped make my vision possible are listed below. They are amazing!!

Stylist:: Ashley Gain of Ashley Gain Weddings

Photographer:: Laura Segall Photography

Venue:: Millennium Resort Scottsdale

Flowers:: Amy’s Floral Design

Invitations and Paper Details:: The Event Essentials

Cake:: Classic Cakes and Confections

Linens:: Wildflower Linen

Hair: Melissa Spidel for Rolf’s Salon

Make-Up:: Heather Wilson

Dress:: Uptown Bridal & Boutique

Tux:: Mr. Formal

Jewelry:: Unique. Vintage. Chic.

Parasol:: Pamela's Parasols

Rentals:: Classic Party Rentals

Friendly Inspiration

in·spire (n-spr)

v. in·spired, in·spir·ing, in·spires

1. To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.

What inspires you? It's a common question that I get asked all the time about my wedding designs!

The majority of my inspiration comes from home decor. The colors of paint, the textures of wall paper, a painting, a couch, a set of dishes or even a bed spread.

Behind each inspirational piece someone has been paid lots of money to perfect the aesthetics of what you see. Before it lands on a shelf in a store or on the cover of a home decor magazine it has been designed and redesigned and redesigned to perfection!

I am often inspired by people that surround me in my own life. Every once in a while I meet someone that not only inspires me because of the person they are but by their craft.

Meet Britany. Beautiful, talented, strong Britany.

Britany is an interior designer AND a photographer! Her design in decor for her own home landed her in a competition. Below are some amazing pictures from her design, which should absolutely win because it is too cute and beautiful.

I love the elements of grey, black and hints of fuchsia! SEE! Doesn't this inspire you?? Just think of a wedding when you see this and how it can come to life!

If you love the design and find Miss. Britany as inspiring as much as I do you should vote for her!
"Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman