Wedding and Event Professionals at the 2011 San Francisco AIDSWALK

 

On Sunday July 17th 2011,  myself and a wonderful group of wedding and event professionals (and those that know and love us!)  walked 10k for the 25th Anniversary of the SF AIDSWALK to raise awareness and money for the SF AIDS Foundation.

Funds raised by AIDS Walk San Francisco enable the foundation to provide  services that improve the quality of life for thousands of people living with  HIV/AIDS and focus prevention efforts on those at greatest risk of contracting  the disease. With a goal of radically reducing the number of new HIV infections  in San Francisco over the next five years, the foundation is leading the way in  advocating for critical policy changes in Sacramento and Washington that will  ensure broader access to HIV prevention, treatment and care so people can live  healthier, longer lives.

Growing up in San Francisco and personally knowing people with HIV/ AIDS, this has always been a cause that I have been passionate about. This year I decided to start a team and although it is the middle of our busiest season in the wedding and event industry, we had a great group of people come out and walk with us.

Our team ended up with 14 people and we raised $1475.00! Click HERE for a link to our page! 

Total 2011 AIDSWALK Funds Raised: $3.011,245!  And we were a part of it

Our team consisted of the following walkers:

Amy Frugoli of Twitterpated Weddings

Nicole Lisanne of Nicole Lisanne Weddings & Events by Design

Kathryn Kalabokes, Jacob Goldman, Adrianna Thorne, Caitlin Scholz, Joe DelLaCella, Taryn Moore of Dream A Little Dream Events

Jen Jaciw of Lone Star Limousine   **LONE STAR LIMOUSINE WAS ALSO OUR TRANSPORTATION SPONSOR FOR THE EVENT!**

Debbie Belmessieri of My Espresso Gourmet

Miranda Meisenbach of Divine Affairs Event Design

Teresa Garcia of That Girl Hair and Makeup

Julia Brodil of Flutterby Events

Danielle Stolman Not So Still Life Photography

South Bay team members (Teresa Garcia, Julia Brodil, Debbie Belmessieri, Danielle Stolman, Jen Jaciw, me(Amy Frugoli) and Nicole Lisanne

San Francsico team members led by Kathryn Kalabokes (Far left)

Our team check in area

Me and Debbie

The stage where celebrities like Alan Cummings and Cloris Leachman spoke during the pre walk events

Even doggies walked for the cause!

Starting line

Here we go!

Walkin with a smile

Entertainment along the route

Kissy faces!

Stanford Band!

4 Mile Marker

Finish Line. 10K done!

Nicole and Me

Resting after with some snacks

Loading back into the van. Thank you Lone Star Limousine!

We had a lot of fun but we have big plans for next year to raise lots more money and get a lot more people on our team so be on the lookout for SF AIDSWALK 2012 Team Wedding and Event Professionals (and those that know and love us!)

Thank you to everyone who supported us by donating , walking or offering words of encouragement!

Twitterpated Weddings voted 2011 San Jose Mercury News Best Wedding Planner in Silicon Valley!

I am absolutely thrilled to have been named “Best Wedding Planner in Silicon Valley” by The San Jose Mercury News for the second year in a row! Click here for the write up.

I definitely don’t do the most weddings each year and I certainly don’t specialize in high-end, platinum weddings. I don’t design a wedding with the intention of making it look like a over-the-top photo shoot (unless that is what the client wants) or let my ideas take over the couples’ vision of their day.

What I DO do is take on the weddings that are good matches, personality wise, both for the client AND myself, regardless of whether the event is in a park, backyard, or ballroom. I have respect for my clients’ ideas, thoughts and choices. I gently steer them towards other options if I know for a fact an idea is a bad one but always let them have the final say. I try to match them with the right vendors, keep them on budget, and keep them grounded (and ALWAYS with a smile).

A Happy Team: Me, the newly married couple & their photographer (Jeanine Brown)

Also, something equally important to me, when working with other wedding professionals on a wedding or event I treat them with respect.  I
make sure they have all the tools they need to do the best job they can in order to give the client the best experience possible. Making someone look better
while standing in the shadows is ok with me; I love seeing people’s true potential shine through. There is enough talent to go around!

I love my wedding industry colleagues, I really do. I came into the wedding & event industry late in the game, yet I was welcomed with open arms by most industry people. A few in particular have really been strong supporters, friends, and mentors (they know who they are). I accepted board positions in both the event industry and small business community because I felt like I had something to contribute and learn. I have no doubt that I have the constant support of my fellow members of The Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and The Women’s Networking Alliance.

Thank you Silicon Valley voters. I am honored and humbled and will continue to run my business with strong ethics and honesty while nurturing those around me and making my clients feel like a million bucks. I have never been, and never will, be anything other than the authentic Amy Frugoli: what you see is what you get. Winning this award tells me that is good enough!

Lauren & Mike are married! Santa Clara Mission and The Ranch Golf Club ~ 5/14/11

Finishing touches on the bride

Lauren and Mike are a super sweet couple who got married at the same place they got engaged, The Santa Clara Mission. After the wedding, guests made their way to The Ranch Golf Club in San Jose.

This wedding was one of the most seamless weddings I have had the pleasure of working on and a lot of it had to do with the fabulous team I worked with. I also loved the cooperation and complete respect I got from the couple and their friends and family.

These are some pictures that I took from a “behind the scenes/wedding coordinator ”point of view. Enjoy!

My FAB team of wedding professionals included :

Hair and Makeup – Monina Wright of Natural Images

Ceremony – Mission Santa Clara

Flowers – Precious and Blooming

Ceremony Music – An Elegant Touch of Strings

Reception - Chrissy Wolfman at  The Ranch Golf Club

Photographer – Ken Kato

DJ - Turner Hayes of Elite Entertainment

Wedding Stationery – Sleepy Hedgehog Press

Cake – Jen’s Cakes

Transportation – Lone Star Limousine

Wedding Coordinators – Melissa Reyes, Nodie Chariter and Amy Frugoli of Twitterpated Weddings

Santa Clara Mission before the guests arrive.

The bride arriving and getting some pre ceremony pictures

Going to take some pre ceremony pics

Beautiful

Papparazzi!

It's almost showtime!

A little easy reading before the ceremony.

One of my favorite times of the wedding day. Bride and dad lined up ready to go

Card holder (My newest birdcage available for client use!)

Escort cards

Me and Chrissy, the site coordinator, setting up the cake table. (Thanks Turner for the pic!)

Cakey goodness

Cookie favors.Yum!

Table numbers

The bride and groom arrive to The Ranch Golf Club for their reception

 

 

Bustling the bride's dress

Getting the wedding party lined up with the DJ for the grand entrance

Having some fun with the bride and getting some Facebook pics up

Me and Lauren!

 

Photo shoot at Pacific Oaks Vineyard Estate in Aptos

Last Sunday a group of  us made our way up to Aptos for a photo shoot of some unique and fabulous wedding details.  I have to say, putting together a photo shoot is not easy. There were all sorts of obstacles and road bumps along the planning process and right up to the day of the shoot, but thanks to a team of committed professionals,  in the end it all came together!

Here is the team that made it all happen:

Photography: Urban Shutter Bug Photography
Design & Coordination: Twitterpated Weddings
Floral Design: Courtney Marie Floral
Linen/ Guest Chairs: Hartmann Studios
Jewelry: Alissa B. Custom Jewelry
Hair accessory (Teal flower): LinzGutz Flowers N’ Things
Stationary: The Card Lady
Model (Bride): Jacqueline Tang
Bride’s Dress: Queen Bridals
Cake: Glass Slipper Gourmet
Venue: Pacific Oaks Vineyard Estate
Bowtie: Intwined 

The official photos from Michelle at Urban Shutter Bug Photography are coming soon, but here are some I took along the way

Pacific Oaks Vineyard Estate

 

Escort Cards

Guest table

Guest table place settings

Life ring for guests to sign in

Poolside Bride

The cake

Jenny and Tony Get Married! (Part Deux)

Here are some more photos from Jenny and Tony’s wedding in September at  St. Anthony’s Church (San Jose)  and Long Branch Saloon in Half Moon Bay.

These are just a handful of some of  the  yummy official wedding photos by some of my very favorite photographers, Caroline & Dan of Tinywater Phototgraphy. I know you will love these as much as I do! Yee Haw!



Me with Jenny and Tony. <3 Love!

Jenny & Tony are married! Sept 27th, St. Anthony’s Church / Longbranch Saloon

I have been working with this couple (and their families) for almost a year and I have to say it was a wedding that was near and dear to my heart. Along the journey, I got to know the couple very well and shared a lot of laughs (and some tears as well). This was one of those weddings where there were little snags around every corner of the planning.

Jenny kept a great attitude through every unexpected twist, turn and road bump. One thing she did do – she took my suggestions and advice very seriously … a wedding consultant’s dream.

 Jenny and Tony had so many unique elements throughout the wedding and reception and Jenny was NOT going to let this day fly by in a blur…she held a small video camera with her bouquet while walking down the aisle, she took photos from her POV with a small camera she kept on her all night, and she took a few key moments to just stop and scan the room from one side to the other to really “see” everyone and everything.

The couple did everything right on the day of their wedding from having a great breakfast, surrounding themselves with friends willing to do everything possible to make their day perfect,  not letting anything get to them and just plain enjoyed their day!

This was a western sunflower theme wedding that will make you say  “Yeeeeeee Hawwwwwww!”

Enjoy some pics I took

Thank you to the wonderful team of vendors I had the pleasure of working on this wedding with!

Venue: Longbranch Saloon & Farms

Catering: Crystal Springs Catering

DJ: BluEdge Productions

Desserts: Cake/Cupcakes by Jen’s Cakes (Pies from Trader Joes)

Photography: Tinywater Photography

Romantic Wedding ~ 9.17.10 ~ The Ranch Golf Club

Here are a few shots I took of some of the details from a beautiful romantic wedding I had the honor of coordinating . The bride and groom had some fabulous unique ideas mixed in with some classic traditional elements.

Enjoy the romance…

The awesome team on this wedding:

Reception Site: The Ranch Golf Club, San Jose

Photographer: Whitney Dafoe Photography

Desserts: Jen’s Cakes, Sweet Tooth Confections

Theresa & Bryan are married! ~ Nestldown ~ 9/5/10

Dark. mystic. Rock & Roll!

Theresa and Bryan’s wedding was a deep love story from start to finish.  From Theresa’s ethereal descent down the redwood lined stairs to meet her future husband, to the passion purple reception gown the bride changed into, every moment was sensual and dramatic. This was a wedding that dreams are made of.

Here are some photos I snapped , enjoy… and fall in love

Photographer, Tanja Lippert, getting the great shots. I cant wait to see them!

Wedding Team:

Venue : Nestldown

DJ: Warren Wong of Sound In Motion

Dessert tower: Satura Cakes

Floral Design: Asiel Design

Photographer: Tanja Lippert

Hair/Makeup: Tia Reagan

Caterer: Continental Caterers

Officiant: Jon Olson

Wedding Coordination: Twitterpated Weddings

Cody & York Part Deux ~ The “Fun” Factor

This is the second part to my Cody and York wedding blog -  also known as the fun photos! 

Of course photographer Christine Otte captured all of the elegant and serious moments as well, but I thought it would be interesting to showcase the silliness and good-hearted fun we all had. There are a FEW serious ones as well for the true romantics  

I knew we were a perfect match and I think you will see why. Enjoy… and I hope you smile a time or two as well   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have the cheesiest smile ever. I was grinning ear to ear all day!

 

Eden & Justin are married! ~ Carmel Mission/Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

Eden and Justin had some very specific things they wanted at their wedding and were unsure if it could all work they way they visualized it. Here is a perfect example of my famous saying “If you want it, we will make it happen!”  The ceremony at the  Carmel Mission was very traditional and elegant but after that, they were ready to party!  

 The reception at the Monterey Plaza was jam packed full of activities and events including not one, but TWO different slide shows (Including a same day edit by Lumitone. Click HERE to see!), an incredible choreographed first dance, FOUR dress changes for the bride, a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, and much more . It all worked out perfectly thanks to the incredible team of professionals I had the pleasure of working with including Jason Spencer of Spencer Weddings and Entertainment, Kui and Mark at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa, photographer Larry Nordwick of Creative Images and more!   

Here are a few shots I was able to take throughout the day, enjoy the love   

                                              Congratulations Eden and Justin!   

Eden getting assistance from her bridal party

 

Eden and her parents outside Monterey Plaza

 

Eden and her flower girl in the Bride's Room at the Mission

 

  

Eden and Justin are married!

 

Head table and cake in the background

 

  

Eden doing a little dance while waiting to be announced in

 

Eden and Justin making their grand entrance

 

Photobooth props means....

 

....fun photos at the end of the night. Me and my assistant with the bride and groom

 

 The wedding team:  

Ceremony : Carmel Mission  

Reception: Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa  

DJ: Spencer Weddings and Entertainment  

Florist: Swenson and Silacci  

Photographer: Creative Images  

Videographer: Lumitone  

Hair & Makeup: Bloom Beauty Boutique  

Wedding Coordinator: Twitterpated Weddings