Sunday Round-Up 1.27.13

Hey there Sunday!  What a lovely weekend....

Check out our updates to the press page on the website!  Lots of new gorgeous wedding candy for you.

Pick up a copy of the new 7x7 Wedding Guide, available in San Francisco.  We have a wedding featured with the lovely ladies of Belathee Photography.

Felicity Cloake's perfect fried egg recipe at The Wednesday Chef has made our weekend juevos rancheros much more delicious - and stress free.

Unique escort card displays from Martha.

Our favorite new wine country venue - can't wait for our weddings there this summer!

Pretty Pretty Pinterest.

This weekend we were meeting with clients, mocking up florals (for my OWN WEDDING!  THREE WEEKS!), and sight seeing in Carmel.  Gorgeous weather, blue skies, good meals, lucky ladies.

Elaine and Michael on Style Me Pretty!

We were SO thrilled to have Elaine and Michael's lovely wedding featured on Style Me Pretty!

The brilliant Edyta Szyszlo photographed this gorgeous wedding at B.R. Cohn winery.  It was a perfect Napa Valley day, and we loved the fresh color palette with hints of rustic charm.

Elaine Bell is one of our favorite caterers to work with, and they did an amazing job serving a lovely meal for friends and family of the bride and groom.  And have you ever seen a couple as gorgeous as this one?

I didn't think so!  We were so glad to be a part of this special day - and as always, honored to be featured on SMP!

Wedding Coordination: Cassandra O’Gara of Downey Street Events
Wedding Photography Edyta Szyszlo Photography 
Venue: B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen, California 
Floral Design: Tesoro Flowers
Wedding Catering: Elaine Bell Catering 
Wedding Cake: Patisserie Angelica 
Wedding Cupcakes: Kara’s Cupcakes 
Wedding Stationery: Paper Source 
Ceremony Music: Bellarosa String Quartet 
Band: Keith Johnson All Stars 
Vintage Rentals: One True Love Vintage Rentals 
Rentals:Classic Party Rentals 
Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier 
Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo 
Bride’s Necklace: Heirloom from Bride’s Mother-in-Law 
Bride’s Earrings: Nardi via Nordstrom 
Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss 
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew 
Hair + Makeup: Meganne McCandess 
Groomsmen’s Suits:Michael Kors

New Years Resolutions

Photo by Belathee Photography - Boonville Hotel

2012 was a huge year for us here at Downey Street Events.  Just a few highlights.....

• We opened our gorgeous studio, Good Company, with a group of fabulous wedding vendors.  This was a true labor of love, and we are so thrilled to have a place to meet with our wonderful clients and vendors.
• We planned a wedding for one of our own - one month to go before Emily marries her guy!
• We worked at many gorgeous venues all over the bay area, from Carmel to Woodside to Healdsburg to right here in San Francisco.
• We planned some truly gorgeous weddings with the most wonderful clients three girls could ask for.

2013 is already shaping up to be just as exciting.  We will be appearing in some of our favorite wedding blogs, as well as two wonderful print publications.  We are working at new and exciting venues, and developing really lovely designs for our clients.  We feel so lucky to work in this industry, and can't wait to see what the year has in store for us!

So in the spirit of the new year, a few New Years Resolutions from the ladies of DSE...

Plan gorgeous weddings for each and every one of our clients, so that their wedding days are truly memorable and fabulous.....

Blog more, so that we can share some of these incredible events with you, as well as tricks and tips for your planning process....

Get inspired by traveling, meeting new people, perusing pinterest, cooking, reading, and exploring our beautiful city by the bay.

ready....set....plan!

Cheers from....

Lauren, Emily & Cassandra

Sunday Round-Up 6.1.7.12 (Happy Father's Day!)

So much exciting stuff is happening over here at Downey Street Events.  Amidst the start of our wedding season (including planning for one of our own - me!), we are working on some exciting projects that we can't wait to share with everyone - hopefully in the next month!  In the meantime, enjoy some of our favorite links from this week on this sunny Father's Day.

I am in love with all of the gorgeous votive options at Jamali Gardens - so much fun and a way to bring some personality to an item we expect to see at every wedding.

"A Father, A Son, and a Fighting Chance" - A tearjerker on modern love from the New York Times.

Many ways to incorporate berries into your summer wedding from the always lovely pages of Martha Stewart Weddings.

One of my favorite things about weddings is watching the dymanics between fathers and daughters - and these photos capture that in such a lovely and touching way.

36 great Father's Day gift ideas from Real Simple!

The ins and outs of NorCal style....

As frequent shoppers at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market, we love this article on 6 summery farmers market meals...

Cute article on embracing an alternative wedding timeline....


Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there - especially our dads, and Lauren's husband who is an awesome dad to their little guy!

Cheers,
Emily

Featured on Ruffled!

Last week we were thrilled to be featured on Ruffled for last October's Nestldown wedding.  Whitney and Ted were a delight to work with and had so many great ideas for keeping the wedding personal.

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Nestldown provided the perfect backdrop for their Fall ceremony and reception.  Music by Handel was pre-recorded by a pianist and friend of the bride's family, and then played during the processional.  After a mutual friend performed the ceremony, guests were invited up to the barn for cocktail and hors d'oeuvres.

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Whitney and Ted made the chalkboards themselves and offered ideas for classic cocktails on the mixed drinks sign. They also had a stand alone wine bar as well as a beer bar, both of which poured several selections of each. 

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Wooden king's tables hosted centerpieces from Florabella made of mosses, white hydrangeas, succulents, birch wood, ferns, and fiddleheads.  Candles lined the tables and stained wooden table numbers guided guests to their seats.  

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Thomas John Events Catering provided chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers on the outside patio.   With the added bistro lights above and the fire pit to keep warm, the patio was the perfect place to enjoy s'mores.  

Photos by Kate Harrison Photography

Since Whitney is from San Francisco and Ted is from Georgia, they danced their first dance to a mash up of Georgia On My Mind and I Left My Heart In San Francisco.  No matter where all their guests traveled from, I think they all left a little bit of their hearts at Nestldown that night.  

A big thank you to all the vendors:

Wedding Venue: Nestldown 

Wedding Photographer: Kate Harrison 

Lighting Design: Eventscapes 

Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham 

Wedding Shoes: Manolo Blahnik 

Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston 

Makeup: Maria Lee Makeup 

Groom’s Tuxedo: Gucci 

Wedding Flowers: Isabella Sikaffy of Florabella Studios 

Wedding Caterer: Thomas John Events

Wedding Cake: Studio Cake 

Musicians: All-Star Jukebox

Photobooth: photo-matica 

Invitation Printing: Dependable Letterpress 

Transportation:Deep Limo and Corinthian Parking

Emily and Will's Kohl Mansion Wedding on The Wedding Chicks!

We are so thrilled to have one of our weddings featured on The Wedding Chicks, one of our absolute favorite wedding blogs.  You can see the entire post and gallery here.

Emily and Will were one of my favorite couples from last year.  They live on the East Coast but wanted a sunny summer wedding in the Bay Area.  We chose Kohl Mansion because the climate is a little warmer in Burlingame than San Francisco, and Emily loved the idea of getting married at a venue that looked like a private estate.

Asiel Design created gorgeous floral designs that complimented the overall vintage feel.  We integrated tea stained craft paper, keys, twine, and eclectic glassware into the reception design.  Dinner was in the courtyard where we hung blush and ivory colored lanterns overhead.  Dancing was indoors where we created a lounge with furniture from Classic Party Rentals.

Julie Mikos shot these amazing photos.  She and her team were so much fun to work with!  Thomas John Events provided the tasty food.  Big Fun kept the dance floor packed.

Emily had great style and loved vintage-glam details.  But what I really loved about these two was their sense of humor and lighthearted-ness.  For example, instead of a first dance Emily and Will (huge Star Wars fans) had a light saber duel.  They are the sweetest couple and we wish them lots of love!

Many thanks to our amazing vendor team for the wedding:


Event Planner and Designer: Lauren Geissler of Downey Street Events
Photographer: Julie Mikos 
Venue: Kohl Mansion
Makeup & Hair: Meaganne McCandess
Cake: Sheng Kee Bakery
Caterer: Thomas John Events
DJ: Big Fun DJ
Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero
Flowers: Asiel Design
Groom’s Attire: Fendi
Shoe Designer: Rene Caovilla
Bridesmaids dresses: Twist Wrap Dresses by The Dessy Group

Amazing Venue: Stryker Sonoma Winery

Stryker Sonoma Winery in Geyserville.  Modern, spacious, and boasting unbeatable views.

Photo of the Main Event Green by Amy and Stuart Photography.

Many people don't realize that the Bay Area is a huge destination for weddings.  Up to half of our clients live in different states (and countries)!  We recently embarked on a huge venue search with an international client and discovered this absolute gem of a venue, Stryker Sonoma Winery in Geyserville.

Photo of the Vineyard Cafe by Bishop Photography.

Geyserville is located in the Alexander Valley about 75 miles (1 hour and 45 min) from San Francisco.  Like Napa / Sonoma, Geyserville has gorgeous views -- the drive alone is breathtaking with vineyard after vineyard.  Unlike Napa / Sonoma, Geyserville is less crowded, less pricey, and has more open spaces for weddings.  Don't get me wrong, I love Napa / Sonoma (was married there myself!) but Geyserville is a great alternative for those who need more reasonable hotel options, more space, or just something a little off the beaten path.

You may recognize Stryker Sonoma as the venue for the 2010 Crate and Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest.

What I loved most about the venue was the amazing versitility and the endless spaces.

Tasting  room photo by  Silvie Gil Photography.

First, there is Main Event Green, a large, lush, half circle shaped lawn with sweeping views of the vineyards.  This could be used for a large ceremony or an outdoor dinner reception.  Second, the Vineyard Cafe is a smaller lawn next to the winery, which could be used for ceremonies or intimate receptions.  

Observation deck photo by  Silvie Gil Photography.

Next, there is a chic, modern tasting room and adjoining observation deck which would be perfect for a cocktail hour, standing reception, or lounge.  Note the indoor / outdoor fireplace!

Worried about a rain plan?  There is also an incredibly gorgeous barrel room with vaulted, beamed ceilings.  Want something totally unique?  The incredible venue coordinator said they will consider requests to do the ceremony or dinner IN THE VINEYARD.  As in, right there in between the vines.  

Oh, and the wine is fantastic as well.  Catering is from a preferred list, though they are flexible.  Beer and Stryker Sonoma wine only.  Rentals (chairs and tables) are not included in the site fee.  While there are several good hotel options nearby, you would definitely want shuttles for your guests.  

If you are looking for a sophisticated winery wedding with tons of beautiful views and endless possibilities for layout check out Stryker Sonoma Winery.  

Photo by Blueberry Photography.

Stay tuned for more on Geyserville and venue searching in general!