Wednesday, November 3, 2010

I left my heart in San Francisco!!!

What a week!!

I couldn't be happier or prouder of our San Francisco Giants!!!!

GO GIANTS!! 
AEC Team - Rooting for home team!
 This year I had the opportunity of a life-time....to go and watch my team play in the WORLD SERIES at AT&T Park. I will forever remember that experience. For weeks now, I have ended every sentence with GO GIANTS! I have embraced every slogan from this year, from the thongs, to fearing the beard, to Timmy's hair, panda hats and of course the TORTURE. What a tortuous season...but the drought has ended and we are WORLD CHAMPS! I never knew I could get this emotional over baseball....but I am sure happy to be a Giants fan!
 GO GIANTS!   

Here are few pictures from my World Series experience!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Lauren and Mark's Wine Country Wedding

Its been exactly one month since Lauren and Mark tied the knot in a beautiful wedding at Beaulieu Gardens in Rutherford, CA. Happy ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY...many more to come!  Lauren and I worked together for a few months trying to find the perfect band to fit their reception. I always suggest to clients to go see a band, and not strictly rely on the promotional materials. Often seeing is believing.  Lauren and Mark went to a few events to check out bands. When they went to see Busta Groove, I received a text message at one in the morning saying... "I LOVE THEM, BOOK IT!" So we did.

I haven't seen the photos from the photographer and will post some when I get them. Here are some fun action shots the band caught of the evening! Looks like too much fun! 

Congratulations Mark and Lauren!! 


Busta Groove - Bustin' a Groove!  

Friday, October 22, 2010

Emily and Paul - Destination Wedding - Los Cabos


I love destination weddings! 

Last weekend my husband and I had the pleasure of attending one of my BEST FRIEND's wedding in Los Cabos, Mexico. It is so nice to actually "go" to a wedding instead of working a wedding, for a change!
Emily looked like a movie star, and Paul shed a tear (sorry Paul) when he saw his bride come around the corner for the first time. The weather was perfect, 91 degrees (quite a change from the rain we came home to!) And the food....oh my goodness!! Three salads (maybe four), carnitas, fajitas, tamales, chicken, shrimp, rice, beans, tortillas...the buffet just kept going and going.  Unlimited Coronas and margaritas, it couldn't have been better! We were only there for two days but what a nice vacation! I was having so much I refused to get out of the pool to catch our plane. Josh had to come in and get me. 

mi mejor amigos

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

"Sisters are different flowers from the same garden"

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of working with Sarah and Chad on their Sacramento wedding! Featured below....

I love when this happens...Sarah referred me to her sister. Katie, who got married last weekend, in Tahoe!  

Originally Katie asked for the same band as her sister, Hip Service. Hip Service was already booked. So, I recommended one of my favorite San Francisco bands, Take 2.  Katie and Gabe fell in love with them almost instantly! Just yesterday, the Monday after her wedding, Katie sent me an email with photos of Take 2 performing at their lakeside wedding.
Tent looking out over Lake Tahoe
 Take 2 Lead Singer: Yvette Pylant   

Take 2 Party Band!
Take 2 Lead Singer:  Karen Ross

Monday, August 30, 2010

Sarah and Chad's Roof Top Reception

I am getting a bit behind on my blog. Bare with me while I play catch up!

I began working with Sarah almost two years ago! I cant believe it has already been three months since her and Chad tied the knot, in a beautiful ceremony at Saint Elizabeth's Church. Family and friends then marched their way to the Sutter Club in downtown Sacramento. The reception took place on a roof top garage, with stunning views of the downtown Sacramento.

Photo by Jessamyn Harris Photography

This was one of those clients that truly make me LOVE my job. Sarah and Chad, were extremely easy to work with and so sweet. After reviewing a few different bands, they decided on  Hip Service.

Hip Service is a local Sacramento band that I LOVE to recommend. They have been recognized as the "Best Band" in Sacramento. They have played the "Best of Sacramento" party in years past, as well as the 2010 party.

Here are some gorgeous pictures from their photographer's Jessamyn Harris and Kristy Ahumada from Jessamyn Harris Photography.

Not sure where the umbrella came from but it made for some cute photo of everyone dancing!!
Hip Service
The lovely gals from Hip Service
The band had everyone...gettin' down!
Check back again at the end of September....I am working with Sarah's sister, Katie on her wedding in Tahoe! It has been quite the year for this family...two daughter, two weddings!  They couldn't be happier!


Thursday, June 17, 2010

Ramekin's - 4th or July event!


Looking for something to do to celebrate Independence Day? How about front row seats for the Sonoma fireworks?  Check out the event at Ramekins!
 
AEC started a partnership with Ramekins in Sonoma. Ramekins is a local cooking school, small inn and now a newly remodeled events venue! Great for team building events. How fun would an intimate cooking class with your best friends or co-workers be!?! 

For more info about hosting your next Wine Country event at Ramekins visit: http://www.ramekins.com/

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Happy Mothers Day Mama!



Today my dad forwarded me an article. And I would like to share it with you.

For about as long as I can remember the first weekend in May, my mom and I would travel to Solvang, CA to see my dad ride in the annual Rancheros Visitadores spring ride to the Santa Ynez Mission. I haven't made it the last two years, since my mom has been gone. This became a mothers day tradition for the two of us. In 2007, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was the last year, I attended, for two reasons. One, it was too hard to go with out my mom. Two, the ride had to be re-routed due to a new property owner not allowing them to cross her property. She basically stopped an almost 80 year tradition.

The Charro Camp, which my father is the camp president, has been wearing pink shirts for three years now. They partnered with Wrangler and are raising money for a Cancer Center in valley, similar to one that my mother went to while she was in treatments. These men (and wives and daughters) wear pink every year to commemorate those who have lost the battle to breast cancer. They truly are TOUGH ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK. 

Thank you Charro's for keeping my mom's spirit alive.
  

For the full article:

Posted using ShareThis

The Diversity of Indian Weddings

In a recent post I discussed some Chinese wedding traditions. Tonight I will be attending a wedding educational program at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, sponsored by the many members of San Francisco NACE.

Click here for more information.

Hope to see you there!

http://sanfrancisconace.net/meetinginfo.php?id=65

http://sanfrancisconace.net/meetinginfo.php?id=65

Monday, May 10, 2010

Ferry Building Wedding

May 8, 2010 was a beautiful day in San Francisco!!! Clear and sunny with a gentle breeze....the perfect day to get married.  Another perfect wedding by Amy Nichols Special Events.

Located on the waterfront, The Ferry Building offers a unique site for weddings and receptions. The famous clock tower is a San Francisco icon. On the first floor the Ferry Building Marketplace shops large and small celebrate food in all its forms, offering everything from artisan cheeses to the freshest meats and sea foods. Just makes you feel guilty walking through there. Oh...did I mention they have chocolate?? 
The second floor is where the event space is located. Open ceilings reveal the architecture of this historic landmark building. The high ceilings, open views to the artisan food vendors below and the tile floor with a striking mosaic of the Great Seal of the State of California, makes it the perfect site for special events.

With family and friends coming from around the country, choosing the band was an important decision for the bride and groom, and their families. I had a great time helping them through the process of choosing the perfect band. They decided on David Martins House Party! And boy, did they make the right choice!!


David Martin's House Party is a high energy special event dance band and concert act" - featuring 9 musicians and our proprietary character dancers. They have been doing special events for over 19 years, here in Northern California and all over the U.S.


Photo Credits: Julie Mikos


The strengths of DMHP's presentation are the musical variety with a vast repertoire of over 500 songs, the musicianship and the extreme care for their clients. The band can tailor their show to all generations in one action packed evening. 

Here are some of the event photos :

 
Photo Credit: Amy Nichols Special Events











Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Amy Nichols Special Events - Holman Ranch



Amy and her crew did it again! Another beautiful and successful wedding! Included in this post are some of my favorite photos from the wedding!

The setting: Holman Ranch in beautiful Carmel Valley.
 
 










The event was a smashing success. Guests from around the world ate, drank and danced the night away. Platinum Status kept the dance floor going. Visit PS on our website: Platinum Status.

























Photo Credits: Joshua Snively




Monday, April 19, 2010

Bridal Extravaganza

Come visit AEC at the Bridal Extravaganza!!! We will be showcasing two artists Art Khu on guitar and keyboards and Janice Ortega on harp!

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Year of the Tiger




The Year of the Tiger is among us!

The San Francisco Symphony welcome in the Year of the Tiger at the 10th Anniversary Chinese New Year Concert & Imperial Ball. The Imperial Ball was held at San Francisco City Hall. 

The Chinese New Year Committee wanted to create a huge impact upon transitioning from cocktail hour to the dinner service.

The call to dinner was created by the Yellow River Drummers. Set up in the Rotunda the drummers called guests from the North Light Court into their seats for dinner.

Yellow River Drummers can be seen here on YouTube performing in the Chinese New Year Parade of 2008:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXj8VVPzLMQ&fmt=6 

The most fun part can be seen in the pictures below. I brought in two of my best face/body painters to paint the drummer like tigers.  They had so much fun pretending to be tigers!







Thursday, February 18, 2010

Traditional Chinese Weddings

I was recently asked to assist in the entertainment aspect of a traditional Chinese wedding to be held in California. The wedding story is quite romantic. The groom had been waiting three years for his bride to arrive from China so he could marry her. He wanted to pull out all the bells and whistles and make it a most memorable day.

Little did I know I was about to get an education on Chinese traditions when it comes to weddings.  There are several issues to consider when assisting in planning a Chinese wedding. Tons of information can be found on wedding internet sites like www.theknot.com.    

There are several important aspects to consider but here are just few I came across during the planning:

Color - Red is the color that you are most likely to see at a Chinese wedding. Not only does red symbolize love but it is a lucky color and signifies happiness and prosperity. We took a simple and beautiful ballroom and used lighting, linens and floral to create a red atmosphere. 

                                 BEFORE      





              







                                AFTER














Numbers - Numbers are also an important aspect of Chinese weddings. Even numbers are considered lucky. Keep in mind numbers when it comes to all aspects of the wedding; date and time of wedding, number of meal courses, seating arrangements, number of dances and much more. I was told by the groom that the number 5 is especially an unlucky number, although I was unable to find any of that in my internet research. 

Time and Dates - Wedding ceremonies typically take place on the half hour, for example 3:30 PM. The reason behind this tradition is to start the marriage on an upward swing, also believed to be lucky. An upward swing means they hands of the clock are moving in an upward manner towards the twelve as opposed to downwards towards the six.  Choosing a wedding date is also an important aspect for traditional Chinese weddings. An auspicious date is chosen, typically by a "lucky" person. This auspicious date is chosen by using the bride and groom's birth date and times as well as the Chinese calendar. Usually even months and days are chosen.  July (month seven) is typically avoided for Chinese weddings. 

Entertainment - Chinese lion dance is a popular and easy option for Chinese weddings in the US. My client also requested ballroom dancers (two couples, not three for lucky reasons), a belly dancer, harpist, DJ and a balloon drop to fall immediately after the ceremony. 

Here are some images from the wedding:










 (DJ Set up)

















(Harpist)



Make sure you do your research when planning a cultural wedding. Tradition, religion and customs play a huge role in weddings of all kinds!



References:

http://www.983wedding.com/chinese/

Local Traditional Chinese Wedding. Edited by Robert Lam Ping-fai. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Museum of History, 1986.

http://www.chcp.org/

http://chinese.weddings.com/articles/ancient-chinese-wedding-customs.aspx






Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The Loss of an Artist

Yesterday morning we received news that one of our very beloved artists/performers had passed. Marc Richard was an amazing person to work with and one of the best in the industry. He will be dearly missed by his family, peers and friends.

Marc was born in France and moved to the US in 1983 to peruse his art career. Marc has left his legacy in his art. AEC was a huge fan of Marc and often used his work for promotional materials, including our yearly Christmas card (can be seen below) and our website http://www.associatedentertainment.com/aec/Contact/

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family through this difficult time. 

We will miss you Marc