Bluebell Events

Fun Facts Friday!

2011-10-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun wedding facts for you all on this Fun Facts Friday! Featuring the world’s most expensive wedding dress, cake, bouquet and shoes! Enjoy!

The most expensive wedding dress was $12 million USD from jeweler Martin Katz and dress maker Renee Strauss. The dress has about 150 carats worth of diamonds and as of now it is still for sale.

The most expensive bouquet, 90 gemstones, 9 diamonds, a star shaped ruby and entry in the Vietminese in the Guinnes Book of World Records, valued at $125,000 USD.

The most expensive cake was unveiled in 2006 at a luxury bridal show in Beverly Hills. It was created by Nahid La Patisserie Artistique along with jeweler Mimi So. It is decked out with jewels both exclusive and priceless. Estimated worth of about $20 million USD. I wonder what they did with the cake after the show...

Certaintly not the most expensive, but a very expensive pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes with Jewler La Vain cost about $2 million and feature 185 carats of museum-quality tanzanite gemstones and 200 carats of other precious stones.

Not very practical for your wedding but I thought they were fun facts to share ! Happy Friday !

Love,

Charley

Beautiful Gowns For Under $5,000

2011-10-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Every girl dreams of looking like a princess on her wedding day, but sometimes you just have to be a little creative with your wedding dress budget. Here are some really beautiful dresses that I have found for under $5,000 that will most definitely make you feel like a princess with out breaking the bank.

Here is a beautiful ballerina inspired dress from White by Vera Wang for David's Bridal, $1,000

Love this elegant fun figure hugging dress from Maggie Sottero via Best Bridal Prices, $1,129

Such a dreamy romantic dress from Jacquelin Wedding Dresses, $1,035

I love the black sash accent which you could add for the evening reception, by Modern Trousseau via PeriDress.com, $199

Simply stunning dress and the back (below) is to die for from Priscilla of Boston $4,375

Get creative girls and look around, you might be surprised at what you find!

Love,

Charley

Escort Cards

2011-10-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Why not think of a fun and different way to help your guests find their way to their seats for dinner. The escort card may seem like a small detail but like the invitation, it's the entre to the next fabulous part of your wedding. Here are some lovely escort cards from various weddings I planned that I thought you might enjoy.

(Photo by Ben Hoffman at Two Sparrows and flowers by Flower Dec)

(Photo by Robert Evans Photography)

(Photo by Paula Luna at Luna Photo and dogwood branches by Bobbe Vagel)

(Photo by Anthony Elgort)

(Photo and flowers by Lilla Bello)

I love how each individual bride's style and theme was followed through to the escort cards, it just ties it all together. Have fun thinking of ways that your personality can shine through your escort card table.

Love,

Charley

50th Luau Birthday Party

2011-10-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of being asked to design a very special client's 50th birthday party and I was so excited when she said she wanted a tropical Caribbean and luau celebration. I had such fun designing the bright and vibrant decor and lighting. Finding the perfect entertainment was also the icing on the cake. Fortune Entertainment provided us with an amazing show featuring fire dancers, limbo dancers and dances from Hawaii to Tahiti! I loved finding the Tiki God heads from Bob Gail, he has some great props and also Lenny Marvin Prop Heaven had the wonderful Caribbean bar stools that we used as well. I just wanted to share some of my favorite photos from the event.

I love to carry through the decor design with the buffet as well. I complemented the fabulous food from Good Gracious! Events by wrapping the buffet table in thatching which also wrapped around the bar. Speaking of the bar, our most popular hang out during the night featured some delicious Tiki cocktails mixed up by Good Gracious' mixologist Dan Smith. It was very exciting to transform my client's stunning backyard into a Hawaiian paradise. Happy Birthday Terry!

Love,
Charley

Catering: Good Gracious! Events
Photography: Ben Hoffman from Two Sparrows Photography
Lighting: The Lighter Side
Rentals: Town and Country
Flowers: Mark's Garden
Props: Bob Gail and Prop Heaven
Entertainment: Fortune Entertainment
Margaritas and Pina Coladas Machine: Margarita Man

It's All In The Kiss

2011-09-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ahhh the kiss :)! The sweet, delectable, spine-tingling first kiss as husband and wife. The moment that all your guests have been waiting for and the million dollar money shot that will be framed and placed in your living room for all the world to see. Even though you kiss your guy everyday and don't even think twice about it, once you have a hundred pairs of eyes watching you, it's amazing how anxious this first kiss can make you feel. So here is my advice to all you beautiful brides, practice your first kiss! You're not going to hear your fiance complaining about this part of the wedding!

I just wanted to share some of my couple's beautiful first kiss moments, I dare you to even do the dip kiss like Anya and Josh!

(Photography by Eric Curtis)

(Photography by Mark Kuroda)

(Photography by Ben Hoffman from Two Sparrows)

(Photo by Amy Williams Photography)

(Photography by Docuvitae)

Seriously, practice the way each of your heads will go, I know this sounds silly but nothing's more silly than a teeth-clashing head-butting, awkward first kiss photo that you know will show up on Facebook.

Love,
Charley

Too Hot to Handle!

2011-09-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Watching the Emmys this past weekend started me thinking about bridesmaid trends for 2012 and with all the fabulous red and coral dresses that were on the red carpet. I'm thinking that perhaps brides might be bold and go for these gorgeous hot, vibrant, and oh so pretty colors.

Best dressed at the Emmys for me was Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang. What a stunning bridesmaid dress that would be!

(via bellasugar.com)

Here are some other pretty and a bit more non-scene stealing bridesmaid dresses in my trend prediction colors for next year.

(via morilee.com)

(via FashionClothing.com)

(via bestbridalprices.com)

(via frenchnovelty.com)

Is hot red and coral too bold for you or do you think you can handle the sizzle?

Love,
Charley

Tantalizing Tuesday: Headpieces

2011-09-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

This year I haven't had a lot of brides wear the princess tiara. At least 50% haven't even chosen to wear a veil. I have noticed that the trend has been more towards the headband and even the fascinator with the birdcage veil. Even the stunning Cartier "halo" tiara that Kate Middleton wore was beautifully understated and more like a headband. Its fun, its modern, and can be worn at the beach or at the palace. I also love anything with feathers and sparkles. Here are some fun and fabulous hair pieces that I am loving right now.

$89.95 from USA Bride

$165 from ban.do

$129 from Etsy

$130.95 from Erica Koesler via Advantage Bridal

$119.95 from Advantage Bridal

What do you think the trend for 2012 will be? Will we keep this fun trend or revert back to the classic veil and train? I love both looks equally.

Love,

Charley

Great Gatsby Inspired Wedding

2011-09-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

While I was at Good Gracious Events, I had the great fortune to work with Josh and Anya on their Great Gatsby/Prohibition Era Wedding. I love it when a bride comes to me and says she wants to do something that is "outside the box." So when my beautiful bride said she wanted to find an antique door and place it in the middle of her wedding location to symbolize stepping into their new life together. It became a great adventure trying to find it.

The wedding took place at the gorgeous Chateau Le Dome at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu. The 360 degree views of the mountains and vineyards are breathtaking. We tried all the rental houses to find the perfect door and we ended up finding it on Craigslist of all places! We didn't want to overdress it and just wrapped it in vines and leaves to match the ceremony site.

Another wonderful detail were the escort cards, which weren't actually cards but bottles of beer that the groom lovingly brewed in his garage. We had to find an interesting way to display the beer and keep it chilled, so we found a vintage bathtub at the Silver Lake Salvage Yard.

We also wanted to bring the couples personalities and heritage on to the tabletops. With Josh being a Director of Photography and Anya a beautiful actress originally from Russia, we used their collection of vintage cameras and Russian antique samovars as part of the table centerpieces. The table also features beautiful goblets, handmade by the groom's mother.

I also had to share this fabulous cake topper with you. Which was placed on top of a delicious cake from Le Provance adorned with antique broaches.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Fritts, a truly beautiful couple inside and out!

Love,
Charley

Photography: Eric Curtis Bouquet: Lilla Bello Flowers: Flower Dec Catering: Good Gracious Events Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Destination Wedding in Greece

2011-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Having a destination wedding is a wonderful way to celebrate your special day and also have a vacation with your family and friends, making it a wonderful occasion for everyone. I loved helping India and Leander plan their beautiful wedding in Santorini, Greece. What a gorgeous couple! Here is a stunning shot of their ceremony site overlooking the Mediterranean Ocean.

I loved how the bridal party walked through the streets to get from the ceremony area to the reception, cheered on by all the locals.

See how much fun a destination wedding can be for everyone! Where would be your favorite location for your destination wedding?

Love,
Charley

Tantalizing Tuesdays: Shoes

2011-08-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't love a gorgeous pair of sparkling shoes, especially on her wedding day. I just wanted to share some fabulous shoes that my brides have worn this summer.

(Photography by Anthony Elgort)

These stunning Manolo Blahnik's were actually worn for a beach wedding! I love the gold tones and the big jewel buckle. It was like a sunset on her feet.

(Photography by Paula Luna)

(Gabriel Ryan Photography)

Here are two different styles of a sparkly Jimmy Choo pump. I love both styles. And after all that dancing, how fabulous to change into these fun sparkly silver Converse sneakers tied with a chiffon ribbon. Perhaps the ribbon could be your something blue?

(Amy Williams Photography)

There are so many fantastic shoes out there for you to choose from, but remember to always wear your shoes-in at home before your big day to insure no blisters, but if you have a fabulous wedding planner she will be armed with band-aids anyway to come to your rescue.

Love,
Charley

James Bond Moroccan Birthday Party

2011-08-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting things about being an event planner is getting to work with a blank canvas where you can create magic. I was given the wonderful opportunity to create a fabulous Moroccan James Bond themed 50th Birthday Party for a client in Orange County.

The dinner was taking place in the client's ten car garage, which we had to turn into a magical Moroccan tent. With the help of my fabulous vendors, we started layering the floor with Moroccan rugs from Rrivreworks and draped the entire garage ceiling to floor with fabulous pops of orange and gold from BAM.

(Photography by Ari Perilstein, Custom Made Productions)

(Photography by Anthony Elgort)

One of the most exciting elements of the design was using the client's opaque garage door, which retracted to reveal a stage where the band played. We back lit the garage door to create a flame effect designed by The Lighter Side. We had sexy Bond Girl silhouettes attached to the garage door created by Pop Ink. This created a mystery for the guests during dinner as they weren't sure whether the silhouettes were real girls or not. When the garage doors opened, we in fact had Bond Girl dancers in same pose.

Starting with the blank garage canvas and turning it into my client's dream Moroccan palace was exhilarating. Our vendors are the most important people when putting a design together of this scale. Thank you so much to The Lighter Side, Signature Party Rentals, Fields Pianos, BAM, Rrivreworks, Mark's Garden, Salt Creek Grill Catering, DJ Keith Divel, Jack Rabbit Flash Dancers, The Cloth Connection, Pop Ink Design Studio, Casino de Paris, Badia Design and Roland at Water To Life.

Love,
Charley

Tantalizing Tuesday: Vera Wang

2011-08-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

(Photography by Anthony Elgort)

I'm dying to see pictures of Kim Kardashian's Vera Wang dress, but until then I'd like to share with you one of my past Bluebell Brides, Ligia, who was also lucky enough to wear Vera Wang. This stunning tulle dress with a lace bodice looked absolutely magical at the beach and would have also been perfect for the new Mrs. Humphries.

This dress fit for a princess was adorned with a white ribbon for the sunset ceremony and transformed with a black satin ribbon to spice up the look for the evening. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to share with you one of the prettiest cakes from their reception. We got to place this delicious Sweet Lady Jane cake on a bling bling cake riser from Raise The Cake.

On a side note, it's always fabulous if you can raise the cake, details are everything. What's tantalizing your taste buds this Tuesday?

Love,
Charley

Beautiful Bouquets

2011-08-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

This summer we have seen a stunning array of beautiful colorful bouquets along with the timeless traditional white ones. Here are some pictures from our beautiful brides.

(Photo by Shannon Renee Photography)

Gratzia's colors were burnt orange with pops of navy. This orange rose bouquet is from Floral Fields. Her beautiful dress had a rose design on it which her stunning bouquet complimented perfectly.

(Photo by Anthony Elgort Photography)

Rebekah's beautiful white bouquet proves you can have still have classic traditional touches even at the beach. Her bouquet was designed by Floral Fields.

Paige and her mom decided to collect antique broaches for her bridal bouquet and also all of the bridesmaids. The bouquets were then used as the centerpieces for the head table. It created a stunning whimsical flare for this fun young bride.

(Photo by Gabriel Ryan Photography)

Chantelle chose beauitful modern clean white lilies for her bouquet from Lilla Bello. I love the ballerina wrap with the pearl accents.

(Photo by Robert Evans Photography)

The mix of texture and color for Jennifer's bouquet of china mums, dahlias, billy balls, and lamb's ear tied with a cream rope, was just perfect for her yellow and navy nautical theme. The Lilla Bello bouquet come alive and created a fabulous non-traditional look for her exquisite traditional nautical wedding.

(Photo by Two Sparrows Photography)

I just loved how Daisy's floating bouquet was as different and original as this gorgeous modern bride was. Her bouquet floated elegantly all the way to the floor as she walked down the aisle and the floating beads glistened in the afternoon sun. Her bouquet was from Flower Dec.

These are just a few of the beautiful bouquets we have seen this year. Please visit my website, http://www.bluebellevents.com/ to see more of these weddings and much more.

Love,

Charley

A Royal Proposal

2011-02-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

Planning a romantic proposal for your princess is one of the most daunting tasks that a man has to face. The sometimes crippling pressure to deliver the most romantic proposal and the plethora of all the rings they can choose from, can cause any man to have hesitation to pursue the perfect proposal.

Does she like square cut, emerald, princess, should it be pink or yellow, what about the four "c's" when it comes to choosing the perfect diamond! That is when they call the "Romantic Liaisor!"

Charley Izabella King of Bluebell Events is helping guide these frazzled men to plan fairy tale proposals with the perfect ring not just for Valentine's Day but throughout the year. Creating memories so romantic that will have the special ladies friends talking for years.

Bluebell Events offers different levels of service and custom designed proposals which can all be seen on the website http://www.bluebellevents.com/

Great Bridemaids Gift!

2010-12-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to introduce to you this stunning make up line available here and soon through my website. Just click here to go straight to the lip gloss

It's Cattiva Cosmetics and they have this fantastic personalized lip gloss adorned with a crystal top and it comes in a gorgeous velvet bag with your monogram in crystals.

THE perfect gift for your bridesmaids and the bride of course !! as well as perfect christmas gifts!! xo

England Calling!

2010-11-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

In September, 2010 Bluebell Events went International and created a 60th Birthday Party for Rod Bransgrove, the Chairman of Hampshire Cricket Club. The theme of the party was "Friends, Family and Hero's" celebrating all the people that had influenced, guided and celebrated Rod's life. The party was held at the famous Rose Bowl, a beautiful cricket stadium and home to the Hampshire Cricket Club. We went in and turned the place upside down!

Cocktails took place in the custom made white lounge wine bar, where they had delicious appertizers served on clear trays personalized with an enlarged version of the invitation and an ecletic cheese bar.

After the Ultimate Beatles had performed, the birthday boy, as a surprise, took to the stage with his band, which included his daughter Charlie on vocals and his son Jack on guitar and bought the house down with a song he had written especially for the evening. A slide show went along with the song showing memories of family and friends past and present. There wasn't a dry eye in the house from laughter and tears.

Dinner took place upstairs overlooking the cricket pitch. Stations from around the world featured Rod's favorite foods with American, Mexican, Asian and Indian influences. Stations featured custom designed 3D backdrops and the Rose Bowl staff joined in the fun by being dressed in matching themed costumes.

A stunning seafood raw bar amazed everyone with it's large selection and the fact that it was served from a custom, cricket themed ice bar.

As dinner concluded, the sounds of Pink Floyd rang out from the stadium pitch where everyone congregated to the balcony to view the most spectaclar fireworks extravaganza. Choreographed in sync to Pink Floyd, we literally rocked the county of Hampshire!

The birthday boy loves Jelly Baby candies so we designed a Jelly Baby cupcake tower with sparklers which we rolled on to the dance floor to his complete suprise. It's certainly the biggest cupcake tower we've ever seen.

Followed by late night nibbles such as Bangers & Mash with Baked Beans, Grilled Cheese sandwiches and mini Hot Dogs which fueled the guests for all the dancing to come.

Continuing the rock theme, Britian's #1 event band, the Rick Parfitt Jr. Band, took the roof off the house and had the sparkling LED dance floor crammed until the wee hours of the morning. At 7am, party goers finally went home, and along with Rod, had the time of their lives.

Special thanks to Rod, his beautiful wife Mandy, along with Charlie, Lucy and Jack for trusting me to pull off this stellar event from across the pond. I couldn't have done it without the incredible Mark Jordan from Blitz Communications. All the local vendors that worked so hard to help me make it all happen and OK! Magazine for covering the event. Thank you!

credits:
Blitz Communications (Mark Jordan)
Jeff Faraday (photography)
Cloth Connection
Northfield Linen
Cordelia Weston
Rick Parfitt Jr. Band
The Ultimate Beatles Band
Mike Osman (comedian/M.C.)
DJ Mike Christie
The Rose Bowl, Hampshire, UK
Chef Alan & Team (Rose Bowl)
Tiger Lilly Flowers
Painsfireworks
Brooke Harwood (invitation)
Collette Timson
Rachel Hargreaves
Brian Shaw
Vinny Fruelon

Beach Chic Wedding ~ Frank & Rachel

2010-04-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

The Sunset Restaurant, Malibu ~ February 13, 2010

a Good Gracious! Wedding coordinated by Charley Izabella King

The gods smiled upon Frank and Rachel on February 13th, 2010 as they took their vows on a beautifully crisp and sunny day in Malibu. The week leading up to their wedding was a completely different story. Snow storms on the east coast threatened the arrivals of family and friends while on the west coast, constant torrential downpours threatened their dreams of a beautiful outdoor beach wedding. They were a dream couple to plan for and I promised them that on their day it would be beautiful and it was.

Details, details...

(photos by Anthony Elgort Photography and Billiant Studios.LA)

Rachel was a stunning bride in her sparkling lace Maggie Sottero gown and check out those fabulous Manolo's that peeped out from beneath the hem. That's right, they even work on the beach. Sex and the City goes Malibu!!!

And look how handsome Frank and his groomsmen look in their suits from Elite Tuxedo in Westwood. Yossi's attention to detail always insures a perfect fit. Even when the bridal party is from out of town.

Here's a fun idea for a favor that your guests will definately want to keep. Pretty pashminas were tied (because it was windy!) to the chairs for the ladies to use to keep warm during the beach ceremony. It was a beautiful pop of color as well as a useful gift, especially on the coach ride back to their hotel.

Beautiful flowers were provided by Bobbe Vagell. I love his attention to detail like the starfish nestled in the white chiffon at the bottom of the chuppa and the ring bearer's pillow made of mums.

Cupcakes are still a fun alternative to the traditional wedding cake. Frank and Rachel were having so much fun dancing to their sensational band, The Trip, that they didn't want to stop to cut the cupcakes. To get the "shot", I brought it to them on the dance floor and they loved it!

These were some of my favorite highlights from their lovely wedding that I coordinated during my wonderful time at Good Gracious! Events. Thank you to all the amazing vendors that made their dreams come true - Malibu Sunset Restaurant, Rev. Clint Hufft, The Lighter Side, The Trip, BBJ Linens, Designer 8, Classic Party Rentals, Yummy Cupcakes, Brilliant Studios.LA Photography, Anthony Elgort Photography, Bobby Vagell Flowers, LA Limosine, Corporate Coaches, Nicole Servin Make-Up, Noori Daili Hair Stylist, Gold Dust Entertainment Audio, Elite Tuxedo.