You heard it right!!! Free Wedding Gowns for Military Brides in this Tough Economy!

Bridal retailers nationwide open their hearts to support our troops.
THE UNIQUE BRIDE is joining Brides Across America and Giving Away Designer
Wedding Gowns To Military Brides-To-Be!

Event Date: Sun, July 12, 2009
Time: 11:00 – 4:00
Place: The Unique Bride
1209 Howard Ave.
Burlingame, CA 94010
Contact: 650-347-7001

Attention all Military Brides! Replace your fatigues with a free designer wedding gown from The Unique Bride. California’s premier bridal salon is pleased to reward the Military personnel who served in Iraq or Afghanistan or whose fiancé’s are in active duty in those areas with this special event on July 12th to celebrate and honor Independence Day. This is a great way to show appreciation towards the troops and families for their sacrifice. The Unique Bride has hand selected designer wedding gowns to give away at the event on a first come first serve basis. The giveaway is a philanthropic opportunity to show appreciation for their heart felt service for our country. It is time we give back and support.

To qualify, brides must be engaged, be on active duty in the military or have a fiancé on active duty in either Iraq or Afghanistan. All military brides must show ID, copy of deployment papers, orders or other qualifying proof. Brides do not have to reside in the area where the giveaway is taking place.

For more information regarding the July 12th event please call
The Unique Bride at 650-347-7001 – www.uniquebride.com
Other participating stores and states checkout www.bridesacrossamerica.com.

THE UNION STREET WEDDING RING is a collection of the finest 30 boutiques, salons, and studios on charming and historic Union Street, San Francisco. Catering specifically to couples planning elegant and personalized weddings. Taste, professionalism, and friendliness are traits that all members have in common. Discerning couples can plan their weddings conveniently and comfortably by visiting The Ring.

Sunday July 12th 1:00-4:00pm
Bring your mom, bring your girls, bring your to-do checklist, and come to Union Street for the first Union Street Wedding Ring Bridal Walk.

Mixed with goodies, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and special promotions, you’ll be able to stroll the street on this one-of-kind Sunday afternoon and discover some of San Francisco’s finest wedding service providers. Nationally acclaimed invitation designers, award-winning photographers, stunning florists, as well as the yummiest cupcakes in the world, gowns, bling, and much more! Come to plan your wedding and be inspired.
RSVP to receive a swanky swag bag!

Visit “The Union Street Wedding Ring” Website at www.unionstreetweddingring.com to learn more about the participants and to RSVP by writing “YES!” (and the number in your party) in the RSVP for Bridal Walk line on our contact page. After you have RSVP’d, we’ll send you an email with more details about the day. Enjoy the walk!!

BRIDAL GUIDE asked me to come up with a elegant wedding idea for fifty guests at a budget of $5,000:  It’s strictly ballroom these days thanks to the Hollywood’s current culture craze. So it’s time to celebrate in Tinseltown style and have your first wedding dance under the stars.  Here’s how you can pull it off brilliantly…

VENUE: Ballroom Dance Studio

THEME: Dancing Under The Stars

GRAND ENTRANCE: Red Carpet & Stanchions (Rentals) Guests will walk the red carpet and enter through Dance Studio Entrance.

COLOR THEME: Ruby Red, Dark Teal, Silver, & White

ROSE CONSTELLATION (STARS): The star effect is created using LED Floralytes tucked into roses hung with clear fishing line. 100 to 150 rose lights can be hung by pinning in the acoustic tiles or, pinned into fabric or hung from clear netting.

Rose Constellation Photo By: Soo Photography.com

MUSIC: Typically Dance Studios have a sound system in place, so you can load up your MP3 player with hours of the perfect dance music.  Go to www.abc.com to the Dancing with the Stars on the ABC website for a list of the music played each week and make your music play list from this.

ENTERTAINMENT: Hire a ballroom dance couple for an hour at the reception to teach a few steps and to entertain your guests.

ADDITIONAL DECOR: Give your dance-shy guests a place to hang out and drape a few tall cocktail tables with Teal Linen and create vase luminaries to give the glowing star effect by wrapping star punched craft paper around straight, clear, candle-filled glass vases. Tuck a few votives and rich red rose heads around the base of the luminaries so your centerpieces will have a touch of elegance.  Add additional chairs around the studio when your guests feel like sitting one out.

FAVORS: If the dance studio has a ballet bar, hang custom CD’s with your favorite dance tunes. They’ll reflect the light for a Disco Ball effect and let them double as the wedding favors. An alternative idea is to send your parched guests home with a bottle of spring water with a custom star-themed label from Beaucoup Fine Favors or Silver Star Bath Beads from Loop Creations, so they can kick of their dancing shoes and relax their tired feet.

MENU: For this party budget, the caterer can provide the 5 additional passed hors d’oeuvres, various cigar cookies, and the service to include the Caviar Station Attendant.

- DIY American Caviar Tasting Station -

You don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy this ocean treasure. The American Caviars such as Hackleback Sturgeon, Paddlefish, and Flavored Whitefish Roe are very affordable, decadent and can be creatively displayed and served with traditional accoutrements to include lemon slices, crème fraiche, and toast points. With gourmet infused flavors such as Truffle, Ginger, and Beet-Saffron from San Francisco’s Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Company, this station is sure to impress your guests!

To make it even more special, ask the caterer to provide a station attendant (This person can also manage portion control.)

The tasting station should be set up using a 6ft. table with a shimmery Teal Tablecloth such as Wildflower Linen’s Iridescent Teal Taffeta.

Use Tall Clear Glass Vases partially filled with rock salt or recycled glass chips. Rock salt can be found very inexpensively at any local hardware store.  Recycled glass chips can be purchased online from American Specialty Glass.

Photo By: Soo Photography.com

Nestle in tall, extended branches and hang silver star ornaments among the branches to add sparkle. The caviar can be displayed and served using two–part martini glasses that often double as caviar servers.

- Passed Hors d’oeuvres Menu Ideas -

Mini ‘Cobb’ with Watercress, Shaved Point Reyes Blue Cheese,
Crisped Pancetta, & Early Girl Tomato Vinaigrette Drizzle
Served in Tiny Butter Lettuce Cups and Garnished with Quail Egg

Dungeness Crab & Asparagus Tartlets “Au Gratin”
with Red Torpedo Onion Marmalade

Sambuca Marinated Breast of Chicken
Wrapped in Hobbs Rustica Prosciutto on Crostinis with Scallion Pesto

Medallions of Porcini & Garlic Marinated Beef Tenderloin
with “ Merlot-Morel Jus” on Rosemary Ciabatta Rounds

Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, Toasted Pine Nuts and Banyuls Glace,
on Herbed-Asiago Brioche Bread Pudding

- A Sweet Stogie Ending -

Ending with Cigars is a luxury experience.  A perfect end to an elegant evening, without the smoke, would be passing “stogie” sweets: a myriad of handmade Butter Tuille, Florentine, and Meringue cigar-shaped cookies, elegantly displayed in cigar boxes.

Additional ideas include, replacing the inside box label with a custom design, or you can even individually wrap the cookies with custom cigar labels.  Empty cigar boxes can be found for a bargain price or free at your local smoke shop.  The cookies can be purchased at your local bakery or the caterer might have a pastry chef available.  You might even find something acceptable at a gourmet grocery store. - LM

Forget the china you’ll never use, the crystal that will gather dust in the cabinetry or the silver platters you have to constantly keep polished.  Give those who want to help feather your nest an alternative through Christopher Peacock Home.  The cabinetry company recently launched a bridal registry so well wishers can contribute to the building of your home, not just a few pieces of bric-a-brac.  Interested brides can send an email inquiry for more information or to arrange an initial meeting with a Designer and set up an account. - JM

Check out new ways to beautify your walls, windows and furnishings.

Elegant & Refined. Farrow & Ball introduces The Lotus Papers their first collection of block printed wallpapers in an artisanal lotus flower design reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement. All wallpapers are zero VOC and printed on FSC approved paper. They come in 30 sumptuous colors in two pattern sizes.

Reinvent Your Environment. A fresh take on the common shade comes from OrangePiel, a Sausalito based company. Their inventive shades are affordable (as low as $75) and completely custom up to 16 ft. wide and 50 ft. long. Designs come from their artist gallery, your favorite photograph or own original art. They’re a perfect application for any space in the home or corporate environment.  Check out the possibilities on their web site or call the helpful McCool’s (father or son) at 415.869.8824.

Graphic Expressionism. More art!  More individuality!  Creative design studio, ROLLOUT, delivers both with their custom wallpapers. You can design your own, let them create something innovative for you, or choose from a diverse community of artists’ designs. Prices range from $8 to $10 a square foot plus any applicable design fees.

“Bikes” from ROLLOUT’s Artistic Series

Rollout custom paper by Anita Modha and Jonathan Nodrick

Eco-Linen. The Q Collection introduces Espalier, a hand-printed, 100% Belgian linen ground with heavy metal-free pigments. Available in Bluet, Anjou and Lychee colorways.

Harmonious Hues. Christopher Peacock presents Collection No. 1, a line of ninety luscious paint colors both highly durable and environmentally responsible. The perfect shades await you at the Christopher Peacock showrooms across the country.

“The Proposal” starring Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds opened number 1 at the box office and we’re sure it’ll spark new thoughts and discussion about creative ways to propose.  I was contacted by the Houston Chronicle for my ideas and made it into their front cover “5 Ways to Pop the Question”

Here are the specifics:

Pull together a clandestine proposal using an incognito photographer and a bit of hush-hush planning.  You’re ready to propose so do it in a very memorable and personal way. Pick a special day like Valentine’s Day, her birthday, or your first date anniversary and plan a full day of activities that bring her back to some of the favorite places you’ve visited, foods you’ve eaten, experiences you’ve had together as a couple.   She’ll think you are so romantic and what she doesn’t realize is that you have hired a photographer to follow you and covertly document the day.

Have your photographer put together a beautiful photo album for you with a blank last page.  Wrap it and present it as a gift and as she is opening the box, get down on one knee as if you are getting close to help her open the gift.

As she turns the pages to the album entitled “The Prelude,” she’ll be stunned to see that they are pictures from her special day (“only last weekend, how can this be?”).  On the last page, there is a placeholder that says “Here I am on bended knee, asking will you marry me?”  Pull out the ring, pop the question and have the photographer ready to capture the moment. (You can keep it intimate or have friends and family hiding in another room ready to come out and share the experience afterward.)

Plan on a photography budget of $1,500 on up depending upon the complexity - LM

Leave it to CALPHALON to bridge the need for nonstick cooking with the desire for professional cookware. Their new Calphalon Unison™ revolutionary Slide Nonstick surface releases food effortlessly and the specially textured Seared Nonstick surface seals in flavor – the perfect pair to free the culinary spirit.  It debuted in March through Williams-Sonoma and is receiving rave reviews.  It was just shipped to  Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Bed, Bath & Beyond on June 15th so you”ll see it on their shelves soon.  If you are looking for a blend of professional yet practical for today’s healthy on-the-go living, then this is the product for you.

It comes in every combination - omelette pans, sauce pans, soup pots, frittata pan sets, egg poacher, saute pans, stock pots, grill and fry pans and a roaster.  An eight piece set retails for $499.95, a ten piece for $599.95 and fifteen piece for 949.95.  Individual pieces vary from $49.95 to $275. - JM

On May 21, 1983, newlyweds Dave and I arrived at the BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL for our wedding reception. Like an old Hollywood movie, it was a beautiful beginning to our boy-meets-girl fairytale romance. Twenty-five years later, at the exact moment I walked down the aisle, we checked into the hotel to celebrate our silver anniversary.

When deciding what to do for our 25th, we considered New York (we love theater!) and Paris (a favorite destination) but in an inspirational moment thought “The Beverly Hills Hotel!” We hadn’t been back since our wedding day and even then didn’t have the chance to spend any time enjoying the hotel, other than dancing and dining the night away in the Crystal Ballroom.  So it was off to 90210 and Hollywood.

The Beverly Hills hotel was built in 1912 by developer Burton Green who hoped to lure wealthy Easterners out west to retire in the open fields north of Los Angeles. Built for $500,000 – a staggering sum at the time - in a Mission Revival style on twelve acres of land, Burton named the hotel after his “Beverly Farms” home in Massachusetts. The investment paid off as some of the most famous Silver Screen stars, including Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, made Beverly Hills their homes.  The hotel soon found itself surrounded by prime real estate.  Today, it still feels as though you are stepping back into the glory days of old Hollywood. After a major renovation that closed the hotel from 1992 to 1995, it still maintains the style and timeless beauty of a glamorous bygone era. Even decorator Don Loper’s striking banana-leaf design wallpaper has survived and still looks fresher than ever.

The landscaping, tended by fourteen gardeners, is lush and tropical – I have never seen Birds of Paradise so immense! Walking the grounds, you feel as though you are in a private oasis totally secluded and hidden from Sunset Boulevard, one of the busiest streets in Beverly Hills.

Since its inception the hotel has been the place where stars met to see and be seen, as well as to conduct discreet affairs. We stayed in Bungalow 20A, a luxurious suite that is part of the back garden two-story bungalows. According to the hotel’s lore, it’s the room where Leslie Caron and Warren Beatty had a romantic tryst. Updated since their clandestine rendezvous, the suite felt like an individual home that was spacious, timeless and elegant. Decorated in a sophisticated English country style, the sitting room had a sofa, two comfortable chairs and a wood burning fireplace. The bathroom was fashioned in green marble and Italian granite replete with plush bath linens, terry cloth bathrobes, slippers and custom-blended amenities. Our bedroom was luxurious and opened out onto a private patio surrounded by dense tropical plants. We even had a sunny kitchen with a back door - we could move in forever!

The service was impeccable and everyone treated us as though we were stars or movie moguls. After taking a walk around the gardens, we returned to find a bottle of Perrier Jouët champagne on ice with four enormous chocolate-dipped strawberries, compliments of the hotel for our anniversary. It was an unexpected surprise, and just the beginning of our five-star treatment.  When we made our reservations, we opted for the hotel’s Spa Package. This included our stay in a bungalow guestroom plus one spa treatment per day in their exclusive Hotel Spa by La Prairie. I had a Swedish massage shortly after our arrival to work out the kinks from our long day’s drive and Dave had a massage on day two. The package is a great way to add a bit of personal pampering to the trip.

On our first evening we dined in the renowned Polo Lounge where every table feels intimate and special. In fact, Dave and I were sure that movie deals were being brokered at the next table. The food was sublime. I chose the Warm Laura Chenel Goat’s Cheese, a mélange of flavors with the smooth cheese mixed with baby beets and green beans in a tarragon dressing. Dave enjoyed the Tuna Nicoise salad to start. For the main course, I selected the Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops with shaved Perigord Truffles and Dave chose Braised Lamb “Osso Bucco” with a cassoulet of beans, creamed chanterelles and root vegetables. Both of us smiled after each tender taste sensation. We finished by sharing a famous Polo Lounge soufflé, a decadent chocolate experience.

The next day we looked forward to playing “tourist” but not before we indulged in a traditional breakfast in the hotel’s Fountain Coffee Shop. This counter-only restaurant is a historical landmark with restored bar stools that originally surrounded the classic curved soda fountain counter built in 1949. It was a favorite stop for Lucille Ball on her way to the Desilu studios. We spent the day touring but my favorite highlight was a visit to the Griffith Park Observatory, built as a gift to Los Angeles by Griffith Jenkins Griffith in the 1930’s. He wanted it to be an inspirational and educational resource for all society. Forget the science, I relished the Art Deco architecture and the incredible views including a bird’s eye view of the classic “Hollywood” sign.

On the second night, we ventured into the heart of Hollywood to dine at Citrus at Social¸ a new restaurant returning chef Michel Richard back to the city that helped launch his career at the original Citrus on Melrose Ave. Richard teamed up with restaurateurs Jeffrey Chodorow and Melissa Richardson of China Grill Management to bring a sense of timelessness, playful flair and world-renowned culinary technique back to Hollywood. They transformed the old Athletic club into part night club, part crown jewel restaurant. While we dined in the restaurant, InStyle Magazine was hosting a starlets’ affaire in the adjoining night club hot spot.

Amid the vintage architecture and fresco walls sits vibrant lemon and lime-hued décor fashioned by award-winning designer Mark Zeff. The decorative play of old with new is visually refreshing and sets the scene for Chef Richard’s inspiring California-French cuisine – a culinary play of old and new too. The sorbet furnishings help to cleanse the atmosphere and prepare you for the tasteful masterpieces to come.

Upon discovering it was our anniversary, the chef sent out petite onion tarts and glasses of champagne to start. Delicious! Dave followed with the Mosaic, a carpaccio of surf, turf and earth including salmon, tuna, scallops, beef and roasted peppers and had the chef’s specialty 72 hour short rib for his main course. These are prime boneless beef short ribs, slowly braised in port reduction for 72 hours for an amazingly tender bite. Dave adored the accompanying French fries, cooked to perfection in clarified butter.

I savored the tartine crab “robaire,” followed by the bone in prime rib-eye steak seared and roasted, another house specialty. It was served with a red wine sauce, oven roasted tomatoes and artichokes and a “fuzzy’ potato, a playful Michel Richard twist on traditional potato gratin. Too full for dessert, we made our way back to the hotel for an evening by the fire and more champagne.

Soon it was time to leave the glamour, fine dining and pampering behind, and we began our journey home. We took our time to motoring up the coast stopping for a visit at the Hearst Castle to see how one man built his dream. In four days, we had a chance to escape, spend a few precious moments together, reminisce about our beginnings and have our own dreams about the next twenty-five years - JM

Resources:

The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows
9641 Sunset Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90210
310.276.2251
www.thebeverlyhillshotel.com

Citrus at Social
6525 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.337.9797
www.chinagrillmgt.com/social

Do you have or are you marrying into a big family?  Do you have lots of friends? Do you like to entertain? If you are wondering where you are going to fit everyone when it’s your turn in the holiday rotation or the next pot luck get-together then look no further than stackable and folding chairs.  Forget mom’s old card table chairs she got from the Spiegel catalog…today there are so many stylish and affordable alternatives.  Buy as many as you can afford and add to the stack until you have as many as you’ll ever possibly need.  Instead of hiding them in the attic, consider stacking them in a corner, lining them in soldier-like formation along a wall or hanging them on pegs Shaker style – they’ll work as functional art to be pulled into service the next time the party’s at your place. - JM

Here are some of my favorite picks:

Raul Barbieri designed the retro Olivia Chair to be durable and comfortable…not to mention chic!  It comes in so many fab colors so you can stick with your basic black, punch it up with one of the brights, or choose a mix for a sense of fun.  $204 each.

Favola has a trademark keyhole opening – love that! -  and is formed of laminated beech and chrome steel.  $149 each.

The Victoria Ghost Chair, designed by iconic Philippe Stark in 2005, is elegant, modern and can be used both indoors and out.  It can be stacked up to seven chairs high.  Because of their transparency, they don’t take up too much visual space and they work in either modern or traditional settings.  $330 each.

If that’s a bit steep for your budget, here’s another acrylic choice in the Reena folding chair. $150 for two.

The bamboo folding chair from Ballard Designs can seat a crowd in style.  $99 for a set of two.

The St. Germain folding chair was inspired by an original found in a Paris shop – tres jolie!  $129 each.

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Jodi Murphy
Jodi Murphy is a contributing writer for Gentry Magazine and Gentry Design writing the At Home Column, Kitchen and Bath Department and feature Interior Design stories.  She has contributed to California Home and Design, San Francisco Design Center’s 3D, and Ranch & Coast magazines. She has developed campaigns and marketing programs for clients in a variety of industries including interior design, fitness and high-tech.  Her latest ad(venture) is Nesting Newbies, a McIntosh & Murphy ReelCre8tive Production.  This is a first in a series of new products in partnership with Lea McIntosh.

Listen to another TWC Podchat, this time featuring Rich Amooi of HEY MR. DJ a well-known wedding entertainment company here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

An Interview with Hey Mr. DJ [17:27m]: Play Now

Rich is not your average DJ since he brings to his events over 20 years of experience as both a wedding DJ and as an MC in radio broadcasting! Learn more about Rich and what inspired him too launch his career and his company, HEY MR. DJ. Note this was the name of his company way before Madonna wrote the song!

A side note…Rich and I met at one of our favorite Burrito joints, Mondo Burrito in Santa Clara and had our interview over burritos and tacos! I send a shout out to Rich for making me laugh so much! Hint: You’ll know it’s the very end when he says, The Wedding Chat….That’s where it’s at!!

Let Rich be part of your special occasion or wedding and visit his new website to learn more about his services and even read his blog at www.HeyMrDj.com