Events by Karen Lee

Corinne + Bing's Wedding Clip

2011-06-26T17:00:00.001-07:00

I need to do a more detailed post later about Corinne & Bing's special day but for now here's a preview through their videographer, Blissfulpixel.

Corinne + Bing (2011-05-21) Wedding Highlights from simon wong on Vimeo.

Lan & Ed's Wedding - Vietnamese Ceremony & Dynasty Restaurant

2011-06-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

Even though Lan and Ed's wedding happened several months ago, I still wanted to share some of the details and photos from their fun filled day. Lan and I used to go to the same middle school together and I remember sitting behind her in English class. Even though we never really hung out with the same group of friends, our paths always crossed here and there and it crossed again when she shared the good news that she was engaged and asked if I would help coordinate her wedding. Her and Ed are based in Florida and live busy lawyer lives, so they were very fortunate to have her Maid of Honor and mother to help out with the planning. Even though Lan and Ed were miles away, our conference calls turned out to be productive and I was still able to get what I needed to help make their day run smoothly. Lan and Ed stuck closely to their Vietnamese roots and held a Vietnamese Wedding Ceremony in the morning and finished off with a festive wedding banquet at Dynasty Restaurant in San Jose. My favorite part was watching the guests enjoy the photo booth and sweet desserts.

Photos below by Andre Nguyen Photography

MUA: Alluring Image 4 U
Photographer: Andre Nguyen
Videographer: HD-PVE Photography
Florist: DIY
Reception: Dynasty Restaurant (San Jose, CA)
Bakery: Shugar Rush
DJ: X-Generation Entertainment
Chair Covers: Peter Chair Covers

Review on Project Wedding:

Craig & Michelle's Wedding Photos by Dorothy Hatchel Photography

2011-02-26T02:13:00.000-08:00

Dorothy Hatchel Photography captured Craig and Michelle's wedding day and here are a couple of my favorites. Check out the blog for more!

Paper Pichay's New Website

2011-02-26T01:59:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to share the new website Paper Pichay has just launched to display her great work. She creates stationary work of all kinds from invitations to scrapbooks for all occasions. She's a super creative gal and can work around your needs. Check out her new site!

David & Winnie's Wedding - Palmdale Estates & Asian Pearl

2011-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun working on David and Winnie’s wedding because they are such a sweet and fun couple. On top of having the ceremony and reception at different locations, they also incorporated the traditional Chinese tea ceremony, so the couple certainly had a busy schedule on their wedding day. However, they still managed to let loose and remembered to have fun and enjoy the moment. The couple got married at the Palmdale Estates in Fremont. Every girl wants to feel like a princess on their wedding day and Winnie certainly got the royal treatment. She arrived in her own Cinderella horse and carriage and looked like a true princess. It was definitely a pleasant surprise for the guests. Later that night, the couple celebrated their marriage with a reception at Asian Pearl. The giant flower filled martini glass centerpieces matched beautifully with their purple theme. It was a long day, but definitely a fun one!

To see the nice review the couple left, please visit Project Wedding.

Ceremony Venue: Palmdale Estates

MUA: Carole Li

Photographer: Ivy's Bridal

Videographer: Ivy's Bridal

Florist: Ivy's Bridal

Musician: Graceful Music

Reception: Asian Pearl

Reception Decor: Ivy's Bridal

Bakery: Minia's Bakery

DJ/MC: Shelly Chen

Horse Carriage: The Bridal Path

Craig & Michelle - Madrona Manor

2011-02-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

Even though Craig and Michelle are from Southern California, they chose to get married at the Madrona Manor, a wine country inn and restaurant, because they it’s one of their favorite places. The couple loves their annual trips to the Healdsburg area for wine tasting and a chance to get away. The wedding started off with a Jewish ceremony in the garden, which was then followed by the reception on the deck of the inn. Two things stood out for me about their intimate wedding. The first being the favors the couples made for their guests – a cookbook of family recipes. I was fortunate to get a copy and I’m excited to give some a try. The second thing was the entertaining ice cream show put on by the restaurant staff. They made ice cream from scratch with liquid nitrogen in front of the guests and served delicious ice cream sundaes with a variety of toppings. No one can say no to ice cream.

Venue: Madrona Manor

Hair Stylist: Stella Stevens Hair Designs

Photography: Dorothy Hatchel Photography

Ceremony Musician: Eloquence String Trio

Florist: Blue Orchid Floral

DJ: AMS Entertainment

Transportation: California Wine Tours

Bakery: An Edible Affair

Hotel: Hyatt Vineyard Creek & Spa

WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards '11

2011-02-07T21:06:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited and honored to receive this award from WeddingWire. I've made so many new friendships and I'm still having fun doing it! Thanks to those who have allowed me to play a role in their special day.

San Francisco, CA - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Events by Karen Lee has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Events by Karen Lee stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

Helen & Jeff's Wedding - Scott's Seafood

2011-02-06T00:57:00.000-08:00

Helen and Jeff had a beautiful intimate wedding at Scott's Seafood in Walnut Creek. The restaurant has a cute garden perfect for a wedding ceremony and a tent area with tall glass windows that allows natural sunlight to shine through. The couple was also able to hold a traditional Chinese tea ceremony with their close family members in one of the banquet rooms at the restaurant. Having everything take place at the same venue definitely helped the day go by smoothly. Take a peek at some of the photos the photographer, Phoebe Chauson, was able to share.

Venue: Scott's Restaurant, Walnut Creek
MUA: Thy Dinh
Photographer: Phoebe Chauson
Officiant: Kristen Fairbanks
Florist: Kuga Designs
Band: Immanuel Junae
Bakery: The Cake Maker

EJ & Linh's Wedding Featured on Style Unveiled

2010-11-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

EJ & Linh's wedding has been selected to be featured on Style Unveiled where the couple shares their experience and memories from their wedding and the planning that took place. Great piece!

Feature

EJ & Linh's Wedding - Villa Montalvo

2010-11-25T15:39:00.000-08:00

EJ and Linh got married at the beautiful Villa Montalvo Art Center in Saratoga and I had a lot of fun coordinating their wedding for them and working with the A-list team of vendors they had selected. I had done a ceremony there before in the past, but never a reception, so I was excited to see how that part would come together, especially when I found out EJ and Linh had hired the talented Nancy Liu Chin Designs to help them design their wedding. With a color scheme of chocolate brown and crisp, lime green, everything matched wonderfully. The guests certainly noticed all the little details the bride and groom put into their wedding.

For more gorgeous photos, visit Geoff White's blog.

Venue | Villa Montalvo

Photographer | Geoff White

Caterer| Componere Fine Catering

Floral Design | Nancy Liu Chin Designs

Hair & Makeup | JBeautique

Cake | Margaret’s French Bakery

Rentals & Lighting |Hartmann Studios

Invitations| Hello Lucky

DJ | Sound in Motion

Dang and Delena's Wedding Photos by Tauran

2010-11-02T23:01:00.001-07:00

Tauran did a great job capturing the moments and details from Dang and Delena's wedding. Check out his blog for more photos!

Sykes Picture House

2010-09-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

It's always fun and interesting coming across vendors from international countries and seeing what kind of style couples overseas use to plan their wedding. Found this article about a photographer/videographer, Tim Wong, who's from Hong Kong and how he's trying to modernize wedding videography and photography over there.

Article

Tim Wong's company - Sykes Picture House

Caryn & Martin - Pema Osel Ling

2010-09-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

Caryn and Martin had a Jewish wedding and celebrated with their guests at Pema Osel Ling, a retreat center located deep in the woods of the Santa Cruz mountains. It was my first time coordinating a Jewish wedding so I was quite excited to experience all their wedding traditions. The center is in a pretty isolated area, surrounded by nature and beauty. I thought Caryn and Martin did a great job planning with the florist on the structure of their chuppah because it incorporated their wedding colors and definitely popped against the background of the forest trees. The weather cooperated and the guests were able to enjoy the outdoor reception under the stars without it being too chilly. Caryn and Martin were a great couple to work with and so understanding, including their family and friends, when I injured my knee during the wedding. I felt so bad to cause this little hiccup, but everyone was so kind and expressed their concern and helped take care of me.

Venue: Pema Osel Ling
MUA: Van Pham
Photographer: Jerry Yoon Photography
Officiant: Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Florist: Kathryn Smith Flowers
DJ: DJ Matteo
Transportation: The Santa Cruz Experience

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Featured Wedding: Nilima & Gregg

2010-09-20T23:54:00.000-07:00

Nilima & Gregg's wedding has been featured in Junebug Weddings. Check out the site for more wonderful details!

Jenn & Nick: Shinn Park & Asian Pearl

2010-09-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Jenn & Nick got married at the Shinn Historical Park in Fremont. It was my first time at the park and it's a cute little spot where you really don't have to do much to decorate it since it's great the way it is. It also has a Japanese Garden which is where Jenn & Nick held cocktail hour for their guests right after the ceremony. Soon after, the guests were invited to head over to Asian Pearl for the wedding reception. Jenn and Nick definitely put their special touches on the details from the lit escort candles, the gold chiavari chairs, to the glowing cake stand they put together. Everything had a soft, romantic glow to it. They were a fun and fabulous couple and I had a blast helping them.

Ceremony: Shinn Historical Park
MUA: Gina G Stylist
Photographer: Erica Berger Photography
Videographer: HiTech Studio
Florist: Vo Floral Designs
Officiant: Evan Kavanagh
Ceremony Musician: Suellen Primost
Reception: Asian Pearl
Cake: Euro Delights
DJ: Beatnik DJs
Cocktail Caterer: Wholes Foods Market
Transportation: Royal Road Limo
Chair Rentals: Lush Events Rentals
Reception Decor: One Stop Bridal

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Baby Nintendo

2010-09-20T00:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended my old college roommate, Anna's, baby shower! She was one of the early ones in our group to get married and now one of the first to bring a little one into the world. Still feels like it was just yesterday when I was working on her and Ryan's wedding last year. The baby shower was super fun, we were fed very well, and I loved the cute monkey theme they had going. Good job to EJ and Jackie for planning it. Since Anna and Ryan aren't telling us the baby's name yet, we've all been calling him Baby Nintendo. (You can guess what the kid's childhood is going to be filled with...) Congrats Anna & Ryan..can't wait to meet the little guy! One more month to go!

Dang & Delena - St Albert's Church & Mayflower Restaurant

2010-09-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

I've been friends with Dang since college and grew to know Delena soon after they started dating. So I was excited to help them when they asked me to coordinate their wedding. Like many couples who choose to incorporate their cultural wedding traditions into their wedding day, Dang and Delena had a very early start with the Vietnamese Tea Ceremony in the morning at each of their parents' houses, followed by a Church ceremony, and then a fun filled reception surrounded by 400 of their family and friends. Guests were entertained with a photobooth where Dang & Delena set up a wish tree for guests to hang a message for the newlyweds and were also given a sugar high with the super cute candy bar their friend designed. Having a large wedding can sometimes become overwhelming, but Dang and Delena did a great job of making sure to say hi to each and every one of their guests. Congrats to my two special friends! Here are some photos I managed to take throughout the day plus a teaser from Tauran.

Ceremony: St. Albert's Church
MUA: Jennifer Pons
Main Photographer: Tauran Photography (couple photo and bridal party photo shown above shot by Tauran)
2nd Photographer: Huy Hong
Videographer: Eener HD
Florist: Tina Trieu
Reception: Mayflower Restaurant
Cake: Euro Delights
Photobooth: 321PhotoBooth

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Photos from Chelsea and Eric's Santana Row Wedding

2010-08-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

More lovely photos to share from Chelsea and Eric's wedding by Elley. Thanks Elley!

Also, sweet thanks to the couple for leaving such kind words for me.

Photos of Justin & Adellena's Wedding by Jeff Aldeghi

2010-08-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

Jeff was kind enough to send me some photos to share from Justin and Adellena's wedding in San Francisco. I still can't get over how great the weather was that day in the city.

Review | Justin & Adellena

2010-08-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Justin & Adellena for leaving such a sweet review for me on projectwedding.com. I had a blast with their wedding and I'm glad they liked how everything turned out.

Teasers from Chelsea & Eric's Wedding by Elley Ho Photography

2010-08-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

Two teasers Elley Ho Photography shared with me from Chelsea and Eric's wedding. Can't wait to see the rest!

A Butterfly Wedding - Chelsea & Eric

2010-08-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Eric and Chelsea both went to my high school, but I've known Chelsea longer...since Freshman year! They had been dating pretty much since the end of high school, so it was really exciting when I found out they were engaged and even more exciting when she asked me to help her with her special day. Knowing Chels and her personality, I knew she would know exactly what she wanted for her wedding and would be on top of her game. The ceremony took place at the Mission Church at Santa Clara University. The guests then headed to Hotel Valencia at Santana Row for the reception. Chelsea was always into purple and butterflies in high school and so I wasn't surprise to find those features in her wedding theme. The guests certainly had fun playing dress up for the photobooth. A few of my high school girlfriends whom I rarely get to see were also at the wedding so we got to act silly in the booth together. It was a fun night!

Ceremony: Santa Clara University Mission Church
Ceremony Musicians: Alexander Trio
Make Up Artist: Melissa Ruiz
Hair: Erin Azzolina & Raymond Fajardo
Photographer: Elley Photography
Florist: Ingela Floral Design
Cake: Icing on the Cake
DJ: Los Gatos DJ Company
Photobooth: Photo Works Interactive
Transportation: El Paseo Limousine

San Francisco Wedding - Justin and Adellena

2010-07-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Justin and Adellena are from Sacramento, but chose to have their wedding in San Francisco because of their love for the city. The ceremony took place at Inspiration Point inside the Presidio. Nothing could be better than the view of the SF Bay on a sunny day as the backdrop. Afterward, the guests were given a special ride on a SF cable car down to the reception at Fort Mason. They admired the sunset view and Alcatraz during cocktail hour and then proceeded to enjoy a delicious buffet catered by Asqew Grill and a long night of dancing. The best part of the day was witnessing the groom's reaction to his groom's cake, which was a surprise from the bride. Apparently Justin is a huge Mario Bros. fan. Woohoo! Go Nintendo!

Ceremony Site: Presidio Trust
Ceremony Musician: Justin Sotelo (Guitarist)
Reception Site: Fort Mason
MUA: Anette Avilla
Photographer: Jeff Aldeghi
Florist: Not Just Flowers Castro
Cake: Make with Love
Caterer: Asqew Grill
DJ: Brian Morel
Rentals: Blue Water Party Rentals
Cable Car: Classic Sight Seeing Adventure

Nilima & Gregg's Wedding - A Mix of Culture

2010-06-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

Nilima and Gregg certainly had a busy wedding day entertaining their guests with two ceremonies, two cocktail hours, and a reception...which everyone loved! The Amber Room at Casa Real was transformed into a beautiful setting for the Hindu ceremony. I'm not even sure how the bride was able to move with all the jewelry on her! It's always fun when couples from different backgrounds find a way to exhibit both of their cultures on their wedding day. Afterward, the guests got to enjoy a cocktail hour filled with Indian treats before moving on to the Western Ceremony outside in the Sun Garden. The guests enjoyed the rest of the night with dinner and dancing inside the Grand Salon, which was decorated beautifully by Nicole Ha. I had a blast working with such a wonderful team.

More gorgeous photos from Jennifer Skog Photography
Venue: Casa Real
Florist & Event Design: Nicole Ha
Hair + Makeup: Professional Makeup Artistry
Rentals: Hartmann Studios
Cake: Jen's Cakes
DJ: Ron Grandia
Hindu Ceremony Decor: SB Arts
Lighting: Enhanced Lighting

Just Can't Get Enough

2010-05-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the fusion film put together by Cinefugue and co-produced with Noah Hawthorne Photography, I just had fun re-capping the eventful day Christine and Richard had. I had to leave the ceremony mid-way to head to the restaurant to make sure everything there was ready for the reception, so I'm glad through the film I now got to see how the ceremony ended. The team did a great job putting the film together.

Richard + Christine Wedding Fusion from Peter H. Chang on Vimeo.

Christine & Richard's Wedding Photos by Noah Hawthrone Photography

2010-05-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Noah Hawthorne Photography did a wonderful job capturing the moments throughout Christine and Richard's wedding and here are just a few to share. Check out his blog for additional photos!

Christine & Richard's April Wedding

2010-05-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

I went to high school with Richard and stayed in touch up until after college when Richard decided Engineering wasn't where his passion lied and instead it was with teeth. Good thing he did because dental school is where he met Christine. I was really happy for Richard when I heard he was engaged and even happier when he asked if I could help him with his wedding. I worked closely with Christine during the final month and got to know her better and she definitely knows how to have fun.

Both coming from a Vietnamese background, they started off the day with a traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony...firecrackers and all! Afterwards, the couple said their vows during a small, intimate Western ceremony in front of Christine's house in the Milpitas hills. It was a chilly day, but luckily the rain gods were nice to us. Finally, the happy couple celebrated with all their guests at Asian Pearl in Fremont for a delicious Chinese feast. I had a blast!

MUA: A-List Makeup
Photographer: Noah Hawthorne Photography
Videographer: Peter Chang
Florist: Huong Lan Nguyen
Ceremony Musicians: Benny Torres
Reception: Asian Pearl (Fremont, CA)
Cake: Euro Delights
DJ: Spintronix
Backdrop decor: Queens Bridal

Una Bella Sera 2010

2010-04-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

Una Bella Sera has been announced and will take place this year on April 25th at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. It is a beautiful wedding event showcasing some of the most amazing vendors in the industry, put together by Nicole Ha and Amazae Special Events. I'm bummed I won't be able to attend, but if you can, definitely register online at their website!

Christine & Richard's Engagement Photos by Noah Hawthorne Photography

2010-03-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Christine & Richard's engagement photos are too cute to not share. Shot by Noah Hawthorne, check out his site to see more! I'm looking forward to helping them with their wedding next month.

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T15:49:00.001-08:00

I can't believe 2009 has come and gone. I hope everyone had a wonderful new years. I spent mine camped out by the Sydney Harbor Bridge for 11 hrs hoping to get a wonderful view of their fantastic firework show. It certainly did not disappoint and it was a lot of fun munching all day, playing cards, taking a nap here and there until midnight hit. I wish everyone a wonderful 2010 and I'm excited to work with the new friends I've already made.

Photos from Eddie and Sophia's Wedding

2009-12-21T19:47:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share some gorgeous photos taken by Juneshien's associate, Tauran, at Eddie and Sophia's wedding. Enjoy! They turned out great!

Review | Josey and Nate

2009-11-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

I love the new friendships I make! Thanks Josey and Nate!

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Review | Tiffany & Leo

2009-11-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks Tiffany and Leo for your kind words!

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Tiffany & Leo - A Tiffany Blue Inspired Wedding

2009-11-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

Tiffany and Leo both have fun, goofy personalities and it definitely shows in their photos. I had a lot of fun working with them on their wedding. With the help of Queen Bridal, Tiffany and Leo were able to transform Joy Luck Place Restaurant in Cupertino into a beautiful wedding reception. Queen Bridal provided the colorful blue, brown and white lanterns, blue table cloths, and chair covers. They even helped the couple set up a cute monogram in the background behind the head table. Poppy's Petalworks' staff was great to work with. It's a common tradition at Chinese weddings for the couple to have a receiving line where they greet arriving guests and take a photo with them. Both Poppy's Petalworks and Queen Bridal were able to help Tiffany and Leo design a cute backdrop that stood out and matched the rest of the reception. Finally, I had the pleasure of working with VEE Image and Final Frame who helped the couple capture their special day. My favorite part of the night? Getting to have a Sprinkles cupcake! The couple chose to have cupcakes instead of a wedding cake and Sprinkles did a great job incorporating the wedding colors.

Photos from VEE Image:

Disneyland Engagement

2009-11-05T23:47:00.000-08:00

My high school gf, Chelsea, just got engaged to her long time bf, Eric, who also went to high school with us. Eric picked a special place to pop the question...DISNEYLAND! I'm very happy for them and even more excited that I get to help them on their big day. Congrats you two!

Man...so many engagements! I just did a quick count and if all my newly engaged friends plan to get married next year, I think I might have 5 to attend (assuming I don't get cut from their guestlist haha).

Ross & Chau Engaged!

2009-11-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

My friend Ross just got engaged to his long time gf, Chau, over the weekend and their photos are too cute to not share. Ross is a photographer himself so he was able to strategically capture the proposal on camera. He had his gear all set up except he couldn't keep his excited gf from jumping in front of the flash when he popped the question. He planned a perfect day for his gf in Sausalito who was not expecting it at all. Congrats you two!

Josey and Nate's Sausalito Wedding

2009-11-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Josey and Nate had a small, intimate wedding with their closest family and friends at the Ondine Restaurant in Sausalito. They were only expecting 32 guests, so the restaurant's event room was a perfect size and also offered a gorgeous view of the bay. The size of the wedding definitely made it easier to manage and it was great to see how the couple was able to spend a good amount of time with each of their guests. The bride's parents flew all the way from England to see their daughter get married, so I was very happy they got to experience Sausalito in warm weather vs the usual cloudy, fog that covers the small town.

Guitarist : John H Clarke
Photographer: Charlie Gesell
Bakery: Penelope Jane Orsini
Florist: Flowers by Anne

Jenny and Andrew's DIY Wedding

2009-11-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

When I first met Jenny and Andrew, I was really excited to work with them on their wedding because they had so many fun ideas they wanted to incorporate. They had their beautiful wedding at the Piedmont Community Hall. This venue is great if you want to have a DIY wedding since you can bring in your own vendors and set it up however you like. But like many DIY weddings, just be prepared with the amount of set up that is required.

Jenny and Andrew said their vows in the amphitheater area of the park and afterwards invited their guests to cocktail hour around the Japanese Tea House in the community hall. The guests later enjoyed a delicious dinner catered by Miraku and Broadway Prime and finished off the night dancing along to music provided by the Cocktail Monkeys, a fun loving band. I got to work with Jason from Jason Q Tran Photography and a few of his photos are shown below.

Congrats again to Jenny and Andrew - who I later found out are fellow Bruins!

Review | Ryanna

2009-10-30T23:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks Ryanna for the kind words and I'm glad I helped bring your dream wedding to life. =)

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-29T01:05:00.000-07:00

I got to visit Disneyland a couple weeks ago and the Halloween decorations were so cool! They totally transformed the Haunted House ride with The Nightmare Before Christmas as well as Space Mountain. Plus, the Disney fireworks never disappoint! They were choreographed to match the Halloween theme.

Disneyland Halloween Fireworks 2009 from Huy Hong on Vimeo.

Denise and Benjo's Wedding Photos by Ed Pingol

2009-10-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

It has been a couple months now, but here are some photos from Denise and Benjo's wedding taken by the fabulously, talented Ed Pingol. His sharp photos definitely carry a unique look to them. I can't wait to share more.

Vivian and David's Hot SF Wedding

2009-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

You know it's a hot day when you're in SF and you actually can't stand the heat. Vivian and David were wishing for warm weather and they certainly got it. The couple got married at the beautiful St. Peter and Paul's Church located in the North Beach area of SF. I wish I had a photo of their programs, but my good friend Jen from Paper Pichay, designed their ceremony programs plus their table numbers and place cards. She's quite the creative one. Afterwards, Paul Perez from Bella Pictures followed them around Aquatic Park for photos and the wedding party even got to hop on the cable cars for a few shots. The reception was held in the ballroom at the Argonaut Hotel and the couple had a special treat for their guests during cocktail hour...a mariachi band! Halfway into dinner, everyone was already on the dance floor dancing the night away.

A big thanks to Bella Pictures for the photos:

Review | Denise & Benjo

2009-10-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

See more reviews of Events by Karen Lee on Project Wedding.

Debbie and Nish's Bruin Wedding

2009-10-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Debbie and Nish's wedding day was certainly one to remember. Since they were the first ones among our close group of college friends to get married, everyone was anxiously excited for it. I've known both since first year in college at UCLA and they are one of the sweetest couples I know. They said their vows in front of family and friends in an outdoor ceremony at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club and held their reception inside the ballroom. It was fun meeting their photographer, Frank Salas, because he had previously photographed my other friend's wedding and I love his work. It was quite fitting that they planned their wedding around UCLA's colors - baby blue and yellow. They even made UCLA football jerseys as table numbers, which was quite appropriate since the story is they first noticed each other at a UCLA football game. There was definitely a lot of school spirit in the atmosphere with guests frequently breaking into the UCLA 8-clap throughout the night. UCLA happened to be playing a night game during the wedding and the night was topped off with a Bruin victory. Everyone had an awesome time (probably because of the open bar) and a beer bong even somehow made an appearance at the end of the night. I'm so happy for both of them and I can't wait to dress up their kids in UCLA gear one day!

GO BRUINS!

Here's a short video clip with some highlights from their wedding day.

Photo from Tiffany and Leo's Wedding

2009-10-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun working with Tiffany and Leo on their wedding. They're such a cute couple. More details and photos about their wedding soon to come. Big thanks to Nancy for being my wonderful assistant.

Tiffany and Leo's E-Session by VEE Image Photography

2009-09-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and Leo are getting married next Sat and I've had a lot of fun getting to know them and helping them get ready for their big day. They're such a fun, sweet couple and I think it shows through these photos VEE Image Photograp hy took for their E-Session. I can't wait for next Sat!

Sunshine Wedding - Denise and Benjo

2009-09-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Denise and Benjo's sunshine colored wedding matched the warm, sunny weather on their wedding day. Their special day, which was filmed by Alumiere Studios, first took place at the St. Barnabas Church in Alameda and everyone later celebrated at Scott's Seafoo d in Jack London Square. The reception took place in the tent right next to the restaurant with windows looking out to the pier. The flowers put together by Huckleberry Karen Designs really brought color to the room and the cake was beautifully decorated by Carolyn Wong Cakes. I was happy to be able to help Denise and Benjo with their wedding and the entire wedding party was so much fun to hang out with. One of my special treat was to finally be able to meet the talented Ed Pingol from Ed Pingol Photography and see him and his team in action. I can't wait to share his photos later on in another post.

Review | Sophia & Eddie

2009-09-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

Review can be found on Project Wedding. Thanks Sophia & Eddie!

"Karen is the BEST!! I hired Karen to by my day-of-coordinator, and she was by far my favorite vendor at my wedding. Everything went really smoothly, and it's all thanks to her. Karen is incredible organized, very thorough, and extremely willing to do whatever it takes to make the event a success.

I met with Karen a few times before the wedding, to pass off information and to give her an understanding of what I had in mind for the event. After that, she had everything under control. Karen created minute-by-minute schedule for the wedding. She even made individual schedules for each vendor, and contacted them all beforehand to make sure everyone was on the same page.

Karen also ran the rehearsal for us, and was there from start to finish for the entire wedding. I even forgot something for my makeup artist, and Karen made a special trip to come early to drop it off (without me even noticing that I didn't have it). Even after the wedding, Karen touched base with me to make sure I knew where everything was, and had everything I needed.

The best past about Karen is that she's so responsive. With other vendors, I often had problems with delayed responses to emails, phone calls, etc. I never had that problem with Karen. She was always on top of it, quick to help, and eager to accommodate any last minute changes.

I had a really stress-free wedding (as it should be!) and I owe it all to Karen. She is sweet, friendly, organized, knowledgeable, and responsive -- everything a coordinator should be. I HIGHLY recommend her as a wedding coordinator."

Pocket Video Cam

2009-08-29T01:17:00.001-07:00

Wohoo! I'm having fun with my new Creative Labs Vado HD pocket video camera from Amazon. The quality won't be as good obviously as a regular video camera but I love how it's so small and fits in your purse and pocket easily. It'll be good for some short fun clips.

Camping at Henry Cowell

2009-08-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy wedding month, so it was nice to spend my only free weekend in Aug with nature and some good friends. We went camping at Henry Cowell Park in Santa Cruz and it was Daisy's first time! We were worried the whole week we'd have to cancel the trip because of the fires going on in Santa Cruz, but except for the hazy skies, the park was perfectly fine. Some highlights from the trip were telling ghost stories in the middle of a trail on a night hike, roasting rice krispies and chocolate over the fire, scrambled eggs cooked with bacon grease (we forgot to bring oil), and hiking 6 miles with Daisy who hardly needed me to carry her.

Sophia and Eddie's Wedding

2009-08-18T22:18:00.000-07:00

Sophia and Eddie are such a cute couple. They always have big smiles on their faces and both were easy and fun to work with. Even their parents are super sweet and cute and you could tell how happy they were for their children on the big day.

Sophia and Eddie got married at the modern classic Hotel Valencia a t Santana Row in San Jose. The beautiful ceremony was held in the courtyard decorated with floating flowers in the fountain and dangling flowers and crystals behind the altar by Thien Lan Flowers. Afterwards, the guests enjoyed cocktail hour and soon headed into the ballroom for the reception. The ballroom looked elegant with the chivari chairs, the beautiful centerpieces Thien Lan Flowers created, and the rosey lighting the team from Spintron ix set up. Sophia and Eddie also hired a Red Cheese Photo Booth and it was a BIG hit at the wedding. The guests kept going back for more and even my helper Sara and I got to test it out. Another big hit was their red velvet cake from Satura Cakes, which I personally had two slices of. Overall it was a fun wedding and everyone danced the night away and why wouldn't they since the fabulous team from Spintronix was DJ'ing. They always do a great job and certainly know how to get the crowd going.

Here are a couple photos I took and I hope to share some of the ones by Tauran Photography and Junshien Weddings & Portraits soon.

D.HU Photography

2009-08-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

I previously posted some photos by D.Hu Photography. Well Dennis has finally launched his site! So check it out and see more of his wonderful work. Become a fan of his page on Facebook and receive his latest updates.

D.HU PHOTOGRAPHY

Thank You Note From the Groom's Mother

2009-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to receive thank you notes from the bride and groom, but it's even sweeter when you get one from the parents. That's when you know you've not only reached out to the bride and groom, but you've made it memorable for the parents as well and allowed them to have an enjoyable time. I was delightfully surprised to find an email from the groom's mother after last weekend's wedding.

"Hello Karen! You did a terrific job taking care of all the details of Eddie/Sophie's wedding. Many thanks for your attentive service! I wish you luck with your career. I'll certainly refer you if any of our Bay Area friends need a good wedding coordinator. We are happy with your service."

To Go Pro or Not To

2009-08-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

I came across this interesting article from Seattle Bride which features one of my favorite photographers who I've had the pleasure of working with: John & Joseph Photography. Wedding photography certainly has evolved over the past years in technology and styles and as the industry grows, so has the wide range of skills set. When planning a wedding on a tight budget, the first thing a couple often does is rank the order of importance of each vendor. Some rather spend more on food and accommodate it by spending less on flowers. Depending on a person's preference, it's sometimes hard for a couple to justify throwing a big chunk of their budget into photography. Some also wonder do the ones that charge a significant amount produce a huge difference in their photos or should they take a gamble with an amateur. I think this article helps shed some light on that. The author, an amateur photographer, shoots alongside Joey Hong at a wedding and compares his own results to Joey's. I know many amateur photographers who produce wonderful work and everyone has to start somewhere, but this article helps explain the benefits in hiring a seasoned pro and perhaps those seemingly outrageously priced packages aren't so outrageous after all. You're paying for the level of experience, creative skills, and professionalism.

article

Photos from Promises and Pearls

2009-08-06T14:39:00.001-07:00

I'm a little behind on my posts, but it's never too late to share photos! I attended Promises and Pearls last month to get a peek of the talented work put together by many local Bay Area vendors. It was hosted by MB Wedding Design and Events and Especially Yours Chair Covers. Many of my faves were there showcasing their work such as Maria Chang from PMA and Augie Chang Photography. The event was held at the Payne Mansion in San Francisco. Based on where it's located, you would never have thought such a venue existed. Surrounded by basic modern day store owners, this Victorian house certainly stands out in its neighborhood. The inside has an elegant feel and would certainly be fitting for an intimate wedding.

I want to take this opportunity to introduce another talented photographer and good friend, Dennis Hu. Check out his site for more of his work: Dennis Hu Photography. Here are some photos he snapped from the event.

Sweating It Out in Asia

2009-08-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Finally back from my 2 week vaca in Asia. I got to travel around Japan and visit Shanghai and HK again. It had only been 7 months since my Dec trip so it felt like I was just there. My family decided to take a trip together since we hadn't gone on a big one since 2000. Of course, being with family for 2 weeks where everyone has their own mood swings, preferences, dislikes, etc brings along typical family drama....but we survived! Overall, it was fun since my sisters and I are much older now so we actually got to take charge of the trip. I miss the food already, but definitely not the weather. I thought summer in Vegas was bad, but add in the humidity and the heat is just on a whole different level.

Going back to work is the worst part after a vaca. You always need a vaca from a vaca. Aug is going to be a busy wedding month so stay tuned for more posts.

Daisy's 4th Birthday

2009-07-06T11:53:00.001-07:00

My lil Daisy turned 4 a couple weeks ago and I wanted to share a couple pics from it. I baked her a doggie cake and she LOVED it. I let her go at it, but obviously didn't let her eat the entire thing in one sitting. They sure grow up fast!

Have you ever considered incorporating your pets into your wedding? Here's a helpful article from Project Wedding on things to consider before having pets at your wedding.

Jamie & Paul's Summer Wedding

2009-07-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

I was first contacted by Paul's sister who wanted to get his brother and future sister-in-law a Day of Coordinator as a wedding gift because she knew how much Jamie had been stressing about the wedding and didn't want her to have to worry on the day of. I thought it was a really creative, sweet gesture and was excited to help the couple. It is certainly a small world out there because on the wedding day I actually ran into a couple people I knew who were attending the wedding.

Jamie and Paul got married at their church, the Chinese for Christ Church in San Jose, witnessed by many of their family and church friends. The couple's pink and brown theme colors were seen in all the flowers beautifully decorated by Christine Le of Bluume. Jamie was a very DIY bride, which you could see in her aisle runner and the cute lanterns she made for the church. After the ceremony, the guests were given a special treat of R ed Mango! That definitely helped them cool down on that warm, summer day. I love the mochi and fruit toppings.

Afterwards, all the guests took a short drive over to Joy Luck Place Restaurant in Cupertino. The guests were greeted at the sign in table and with Jamie's creative seating board. If you've been to Joy Luck before, you'll know the entrance is very small and narrow. Originally the couple had wanted to do name cards, but that would require setting up another 2 tables at least to fit all of them, but there just wasn't enough room because they had over 20 tables. So when we were doing our walk through of the restaurant, we noticed the clear board by the planters and it was an ideal spot for a seating chart. It solved their seating problems and it covered up the clear piece which didn't look that pretty anyways. Each table was decorated with roses and lamb ear accents in a silver julep cup. When having a Chinese banquet reception, I like to recommend using a small centerpiece so there's a larger chance your guests won't remove it off the lazy susan and it won't get in the way too much with the multiple dishes that are brought out simultaneously. Flowers cost so much that they shouldn't be sitting on the floor!

Overall the wedding turned out great and Jamie and Paul truly enjoyed themselves especially with their close friends emceeing their wedding and putting them through some entertaining games. I also had the fortunate opportunity to meet Jay Tsai from Jay Tsai Photography. I've never seen a wedding photographer with so many shooters! I don't think it was possible for him and his staff to miss a single moment.Ceremony: Chinese for Christ Church - San Jose, CA
Make-up Artist: Art Occassions
Photographer: Jay Tsai Photography
Reception: Joy Luck Place - Cupertino, CA
Bakery: Sweet Passions Bakery
Florist: Bluume

Promises and Pearls Bridal Soiree

2009-06-22T13:23:00.001-07:00

Should be a great opportunity to meet some fabulous vendors from the industry. Register here.

Ryan & Anna's Fabulous Chic Wedding

2009-06-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Anna and Ryan got married at the gorgeous Five Wounds Church in San Jose and threw a beautiful reception at the SJ Museum of Art in Downtown SJ. Anna and I were roommates in college so I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to coordinate her wedding. She dreams big, pays attention to detail, and loves sparkle, glitter, and bling! And it all paid off because all night I heard nothing but compliments from the guests on how great everything looked.

The day started off bright and early with the traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony at the bride's house and then ended with lunch at the groom's house. It was great to see how the couple was able to incorporate both Vietnamese and Filipino traditions into their wedding. The wedding colors were blue and pink and the bridesmaids looked so pretty in their traditional Vietnamese dresses.

After the church, the guests enjoyed a nice reception outside of the museum in the plaza surrounded by the palm trees. We were able to set up hedges to enclose the area to provide it with a bit more privacy. The couple had a dilemma which I think many Asian couples run into which was they wanted a Chinese banquet menu, but didn't want it at a Chinese restaurant. Luckily, they were able to work with a Chinese restaurant, Flourishing Garden, and the staff was able to set up cooking stations on location. The museum was also a great venue because during cocktail hour, the guests were able to roam around the museum and enjoy all the exhibits. All the vendors were great to work with, especially the awesome DJ, David Carvalho. After the wedding, the couple and their guests continued their celebration at a nearby lounge and I'm sure it'll be a night Ryan and Anna will never forget.Hair and Make-Up: Aimee Lam
Photographer: Picture 2000
Videographer: Video Madness
DJ: Play Agency (David Carvalho)
Caterer: Flourishing Gardens

Thanks to my friend Huy and 247media.org for taking some wonderful pictures.

The Great American Food Festival..not so great

2009-06-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the twitter posts, news reviews, and blogs online, the Great American Food Festival at the Shoreline yesterday was a big BUST. It's not a good sign when you're walking towards the entrance and people walking to the parking lot are telling you to save your time and $ and turn around. I should have listened. The lines were wrapped around and zig zagging all over the park and the park's already pretty small. I was inside for literally 10 min and left because I had came ready to eat and would have passed out from hunger if I stayed to wait 2 hrs for a meal. Not only was I disappointed, the crappy part was when I was about to stand in line to get a refund, which they had been giving out all afternoon, they cut it off with out giving an explanation or further assistance. Luckily, bloggers online have posted they were able to get refunds by calling either Live Nation (888-598-4299) or mailing Shoreline a copy of the tickets. I'm going to give it a try on Monday and hope something works. Final option is to call the credit card company and dispute the charges. I hope the organizers received a major lesson from this mess.

Great American Food and Music Festival

2009-05-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

I came across this upcoming event which seemed interesting if you wanna enjoy some good food and music under the sun. Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri from the Food Network will be on stage too!
Great American Food & Music Festival - June 13th at the Shoreline Amphitheatre

Crown & Crumpet Tea House

2009-05-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

Last month a few gfs and I decided to get together at Crown and Crumpet for some afternoon tea. It was my first time there and I loved how cute it was. It's located right in Ghiradelli Square surrounded by other small shops. It would be a perfect place to throw showers and small gatherings for parties of 20 or less. It's definitely a perfect place for a pink lover. They have a variety of teas and snacks, which were all really tasty. We only had 6 girls so they were able to set us up in the back in this little private area with a couch and a couple chairs. Next time you're in San Francisco and in need of an afternoon snack, it's worth checking out!

Una Bella Sera Pictures

2009-04-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Una Bella Sera was put together beautifully by the talented Nicole Ha and Amazae Events. Each show room had a real creative touch to it and all the participating vendors really exhibited their skills.

For more pictures from the event, check out these photos taking by the real professionals!
http://tylervu.com/blog/index.php
http://www.skogasinvogue.com/

Last Minute Deal for May09 Weddings!

2009-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking it might be nice after all to have someone help you run the show on your wedding day, for a limited time only I'm offering discounted Day of Coordinator services to May09 brides and grooms. Contact me for more info!

Asian Pearl - New Bay Area Chinese Restaurant

2009-04-12T00:18:00.000-07:00

I met with a client today and she mentioned she's having her wedding reception at Asian Pearl, a Chinese restaurant which just opened at the end of last year. It's located in Fremont, CA and I had seen it under construction for quite some time. She said the decor is really nice and modern, which sometimes is hard to find in Chinese restaurants. I decided to check it out and she was right. The decor is very modern with flat screen tvs spread out around the restaurant and the main room can hold around 50 tables. They also have a smaller room in the back, which would work well for rehearsal dinners. I had their dim sum today, which was pretty decent but the price was a bit higher than average. Not sure how their dinner food is. Will need to check that out sometime. So if you're planning on holding a Chinese Banquet for your wedding reception, but want something with a more modern look, check this place out!

Tweet Tweet Tweet

2009-04-10T13:24:00.001-07:00

You've all probably heard about it recently on the news. The latest craze...TWITTER! I just joined, so look for me if you're on there: EventsByKLee

Happy Friday!

Una Bella Sera

2009-03-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

Una Bella Sera is happening again this year and it is hosted by Amaze Special Events and Nicole Ha Designs. I didn't get to check it out last year, but I saw the fabulous pictures from it so I'm very excited to see what they have in stored this year. I've had the opportunity to work with Nicole in the past and she is a wonderful gal with superb floral creativity. If you're planning your wedding right now, you should definitely take this opportunity to check out the latest trends and gather some ideas.

Hope to see you there!

Indian Wedding Traditions

2009-03-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

I had the lucky opportunity to witness Rasika and Mukul's traditional Indian wedding where they performed rituals common to both the Southern Tamil and the Northern Kashmir region. The wedding was held at the India Community Center in Milpitas. It started at 8am and lasted for 4 hours as the priest led each elaborate ritual. The ceremony was filled with bright colors from the red, orange, and yellow flowers that decorated the stage and from the bridal party's sparkling Indian wardrobe. Afterwards, the guests were treated to an authentic Indian lunch buffet and the bride and groom finally got a chance to mingle with their guests.

John & Joseph Photography Inc

2009-03-06T01:38:00.000-08:00

John & Joseph are two talented brothers based in Seattle who have a strong passion for art and wedding photojournalism. Their creative styles in wedding photography have won them many awards and recognized as one of the top wedding photographers in the nation. Although based in Seattle, they commonly service the SF Bay Area and LA. They are also available to travel nationally and internationally. I had the privilege of meeting and working with Joseph on Tran and Khanh's wedding. He knows how to have fun and create a comfortable environment for the wedding party while photographing them. Definitely check out their work!

WeddingBook.com

2009-02-23T22:36:00.000-08:00

I know there are already tons of wedding websites out there in cyberspace, but one more can never hurt right? It's free resources so who's complaining? A friend introduced me to WeddingBook, another online wedding resource where brides and grooms can search for local vendors to meet their needs. The cool thing about this site is it kind of reminds me of travel sites like Expedia where it provides you filter options such as budget, distance, wedding size, etc to help you sort through all the search results. It doesn't only show reviews and how many stars the vendor has. Many actually display a starting price for their services which always helps narrow down the choices when it comes time for decision making. A little disappointed that they didn't have Wedding Coordinators/Planners listed on their site, I emailed them and they promised it's the next feature to be added. In the meantime, I hope my discovery provides some help with your wedding planning!

Beautiful Photos of Cathy and Jason

2009-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

My friends, Cathy and Jason, got married last Oct and their pictures turned out so cute I wanted to share a couple here. They were photographed by Erica Berger (based in SF). They even did a Trash the Dress shoot and it looked like they had so much fun with it.

A Review from Tran and Khanh

2009-01-19T19:19:00.000-08:00

I received a really nice review from the lovely couple. Thanks so much!

"Karen was wonderful! She is extremely organized, responsible and very pleasant to work with. I don't think my wedding would have been as smooth as it was if not for Karen's hard work and dedication. She stayed until the very end to clean up and made sure all equipment was returned to the correct vendor. Every bride should have a DOC...it's simply too overwhelming otherwise. Thank you for everything, Karen!"

Happy New Year!

2009-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a wonderful three week trip in Asia. It was non-stop eating! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday break and just wanna wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Tran & Khanh's Lovely Backyard Wedding

2008-12-09T23:39:00.000-08:00

Tran and Khanh started off their big day with a Chinese tea ceremony for their family members. Before the groom could enter the house though, the bridesmaids had a couple games up their sleeves for the groom and his entourage, which is a common Chinese wedding tradition. After the tea ceremony, Tran and Khan had an intimate western ceremony with friends and family in Tran's backyard at the house she grew up in. One of their good friends performed the ceremony, which made it extra special. The backyard was beautifully decorated by the lovely Nicole Ha. Joey from John & Joseph Photography photographed the special day, who was a lot of fun to work with.

The couple's wedding reception was held at the Dynasty Chinese Restaurant in Cupertino. Guests were greeted with a photograph opportunity with the newly weds and they were able to receive a copy of the photo later that night as a special party favor. The wedding party knew how to have fun and nothing could be more special than having your best friend sing the song for your first dance as husband and wife. The night ended with everyone dancing up a storm on the dance floor.

A big thanks to Ashwin Rao for providing some of the pictures.

Martha Stewart Weddings

2008-11-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

You can find myself as well as many other wonderful vendors on Martha Stewart Weddings. Join Wedding Wire and become my friend!

Cathy and Jason Dance Up a Storm

2008-10-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

My dear friend from college, Cathy, got married a couple weeks ago to her perfect match, Jason. They are such a beautiful couple and compliment each other quite well. The ceremony was held at the church of St Francis of Assisi in San Jose, a lovely church with tall glass windows that provide a 360 degree view. Afterwards the guests took a short drive up the hill to The Ranch Golf Club for the reception. At night, the guests were able to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and all its lights. The room was decorated with centerpieces arranged together with blue and purple flowers and each table even had a pair of blue and purple beta fishes. Dinner was excellent and the cake was so good I had three slices! (I mainly picked at the caramel toffee filling) Thanks to Jason, Cathy's poor face got to enjoy some of the cake too.

Since we graduated, my friends are scattered across the country, so it was really fun getting everyone together again. Cathy and Jason are dancing machines! I have never been to a wedding where the dance floor was packed the entire night before dinner was even over! It was a ton of fun and congrats again to the happy couple.

Chrissie & Ryan's Special Day Finally Arrived!

2008-09-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Everything was perfect as Ryan and Chrissie said their vows in front of their family and friends. Why wouldn't it be since Chrissie had been planning for her special day since she was a little girl. She looked amazing in her gown with her hair and make-up done by Jonathan Nguyen. It was a gorgeous wedding and the atmosphere was filled with so much energy and liveliness, all their guests had a great time. This was the first time I coordinated a wedding for a friend and I do have to admit it is a little tough because all my friends were around and I wanted to just stop working and chat with them. Luckily, I had a wonderful group of helpers so once the reception started, I was able to squeeze in some fun.

Chrissie and Ryan's wedding took place at the San Ramon Golf Club. The ceremony was set up outside in front of the gazebo while the reception took place indoors. Nicole Ha worked her magic as usual and beautifully decorated the ceremony area and Hy Studio was around all day to capture all their wedding memories. The rest of the vendors were part of the wedding package the golf club offers.

My favorite part of the whole night was watching the couple and their guests participate in the money dance, a Filipino wedding tradition, where guests pin money on the bride and groom to wish them a prosperous new life and share a dance with them. There were definitely some crazy dance moves going on.

Now my favorite pic from the entire night: Look at the determination written on the guys' faces as they anxiously waited for the garter to fly towards them haha.

Soaking In the Sun in Santa Barbara

2008-09-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

For Chrissie's Bachelorette Party, the gang went to Santa Barbara to soak in that California sunshine. We packed up our bags and made the 4 hour drive down to SB and checked in to the Best Western Encina Lodge & Suites. We grabbed some dinner and did some shopping along State St and headed back to the hotel for our slumber party. It was fun way for all the girls to get to know each other a little better. Each girl left with a really cute goodie box put together by the bridesmaids!

The next day we got some brunch at Sambo's Restaurant. You have to get there early otherwise the wait can be kind of long. It was worth it though. I had a delicious crab cake egg benedict and they serve you mini muffins that were really good. The price wasn't too bad - $10-15. Afterwards some of the girls decided to rent 6 seater bicycles while me and one of the girls headed to the beach to take a nap to get rid of the food coma. The weather was perfect! After the girls got back we headed over to the pier for our jet ski rentals, which was one of the main reasons why Chrissie picked SB because she really wanted to go jet skiing. It cost around $200/hr. It was so much fun although I think my driving might have scared some of the girls. Good thing no one fell overboard!

At night all the girls got dolled up and had a nice 3-course dinner at Bouchon. It was really cute because the restaurant personalized the dinner menu with "Chrissie's Bachelorette Party". For a large party they had a pre-set menu with a couple options for each course. I started off with wild mushrooms, duck for my main entree, and then finished it off with creme brulee. I got to sample a bit of other people's dishes and everything tasted really good. After our tummies were satisfied, we hit the bars/clubs along State St to work off our dinner. There are a bunch lined up along the street so it was really easy to hop around from one to another.

After a long night of partying, it was nice that we had a spa day set up before heading home. We made appointments at Qui Si Bella and it was great that they had enough people to service all of us at the same time. The cost is reasonable. Only downer is they don't really have a large lounge area or a spa/sauna room so it felt like we just walked in for a massage and walked out without really getting to hang out together there.

I had a fabulous time. If you're looking for a nice, relaxing and easy getaway with great weather for your bachelorette party, SB's definitely a good choice! Chrissie and Ryan's wedding is in 5 days! I can't wait!

Thoughtful Words From Nancy & Oai

2008-08-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Some kind words Nancy & Oai left for me on a review. =)

"We recently got married and were soooo lucky to have Karen as our coordinator. She was so well organized and got every single detail covered. Our wedding day went so smoothly and timely with the help of Karen's planning skills. We couldn't be any happier and would strongly recommend all the brides and grooms to be to consult with her for their wedding. She really made our day so perfect and stress free. Thank you so much Karen. We really couldn't have done it with out you." - Nancy & Oai

Le's Kitchen Catering

2008-08-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

While browsing on Chopstick Bride, I came across the reviews for Le's Kitchen Catering. The reviews are impressive and it sounds like Le's Kitchen Catering could be a solution for couples who want traditional Asian cuisine, but don't want to sacrifice the presentation or be restricted to holding their reception at an Asian restaurant. Their menus looks pretty tasty!

Ryan Quan Video Productions

2008-08-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Wong-He Wedding Story from Ryan Quan on Vimeo.

Looking for a talented videographer or photographer? Check out Ryan Quan Video Productions, which is based in Los Angeles, CA. Ryan's a friend of mine and he has been in the business since 2004. He has had a lot of experience with weddings, but his business also reaches out to other events including corporate and school functions. He's always the designated photographer at our group outings and he does a wonderful job capturing everything in the moment...the good and embarrassing ones =) My personal favorite are his montages. He made one for our friends' wedding, Sunny & Kat, and it was the first time I teared up during one. I've produced a few amateur ones for my own family events before, so I could tell the effort he put in to make everything flow smoothly. My favorite part is if he's the videographer at your wedding, he will actually include footage from your ceremony into your montage on the same day, which is a nice finishing touch for you and your guests. The clip above is of his work from Sunny & Kat's wedding. Check out his site for other samples of his work!

Shake That Booty!

2008-07-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Two of my good friends, Chrissie and Ryan, are getting married in Sept and they asked me to be their DOC. I told them I would love to coordinate their wedding as long as Chrissie doesn't turn bridezilla on me...hehe jk.

Her wonderful bridesmaids threw Chrissie a shower at her sister's new condo. They fed us with lots of yummy finger food (the pecan tarts were my fave) and entertained us with shower games. We played "Make a Bride out of Toilet Paper" where everyone's divided up into groups and one person out of the group is the "bride" and the rest of her group has to turn her into one using only toilet paper. There were some very fashionable dresses!The other games were very educational. We all now know Ryan used to have Dragon Ball bedsheets in college and his favorite part of Chrissie are her legs and cute lil booty...awwww. Speaking of booty, we got to see Chrissie shake hers a few times. We played "How Well Do You Know The Groom" with her and everytime she got an answer wrong she would have to spell out a word with her butt. It was hilarious and she was a good sport about it. It was lots of fun and I can't wait for their wedding. Oh..and her bridesmaids got everyone cute measuring spoons as party favors since we all know Chrissie is the Baking Queen.

Oai & Nancy's Green & Orange Wedding: July 19

2008-07-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

After eight years of dating, Oai and Nancy finally tied the knot! A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to work on their wedding for them. Since Oai is Chinese and Nancy is Vietnamese, they wanted to incorporate wedding traditions from both their cultures with the modern day Western culture. So in the morning, Oai and Nancy got decked out in the traditional Vietnamese wedding outfits and held a tea ceremony for both sides of their family. In the afternoon, the wedding party arrived at the Church of Resurrection in Sunnyvale, CA for the wedding ceremony. The church was beautifully decorated with floral decor that carried out the couple's wedding colors - sage and orange. You can tell from the wedding that Nancy is IN LOVE with green, especially at the wedding reception. The wedding reception was held at Dynasty in San Jose, a popular Chinese Restaurant. With close to 600 guests, Oai and Nancy took up the entire second floor. Within hours of setting up, the restaurant was transformed. Even with that many tables, everything looked very orderly and neat and the colors blended well with each other. The color green was noticeable everywhere. Nancy even brought her own green plates for the head table, which was decorated with orange rose petals and green and orange candles. Nancy was lucky enough to have a cousin who's a florist to help her design and make all the centerpieces, which all the guests loved so much they were fighting over who gets to bring them home. One idea that worked out really well was setting up an appetizer table for the guests to munch on while waiting for the reception to get started. The guests were constantly flowing in for a good two hours before everyone was greeted and seated, so the appetizers helped everyone's hungry stomachs while they were waiting.

I had a lot of fun working with Oai and Nancy. Nancy made my job so easy because she's a girl who knows what she wants and exactly how she wants it plus she never forgot to just have fun with the wedding planning. It was an excuse for her to make frequent visits to Paper Source to work on her arts and craft projects for the wedding. Their entire wedding party rocks! The groomsmen and bridesmaids were a fun bunch and were always ready to help. I've never seen such a crazy group on the dance floor! Congratulations Oai & Nancy!

Traditional Vietnamese Outfits, Church, and Wedding Party Photographs by http://kevinphotographer.com/

Bachelorette Planning 101

2008-06-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

Planning for a big group of girls can definitely be tough. It means primarily pleasing the bride to make sure she has a memorable time, while at the same time you have to remember there are preferences of others you have to respect and keep in mind as well. Hopefully I can give some ideas and pointers here if you're trying to figure out how to plan the BEST BACHELORETTE PARTY ever for your friend with her closest girlfriends before she walks down the aisle.

Who: The bride should provide a guest list of who should be invited
What: There are endless possibilities. You can have a relaxing day at the spa or a wild, crazy party weekend or why not both?!? Just remember to keep it to the bride's taste and style.
When: Typically people have it no later than two weeks before the wedding or as early as a month or two from the wedding, but there really is no deadline. You just try to find the best weekend that'll accommodate everyone's schedule.
Where: It depends on the bride if she would like only one fun filled day, a weekend getaway or even longer! That'll determine whether or not you should keep it local, a short drive away, or leave on a jet plane. You can choose domestic or even international.
Why: It's to honor the bride and it's a big celebration before she becomes a married woman, but really it's just an excuse for girls to get together and have a good time. Girls just wanna have fun!
How: It is pretty common for those who attend the bachelorette party to all pitch in together to take the bride out. Whether that includes everything or just travel arrangements is up to you to decide because you do want to be sensitive to those attending who might be on a budget. What I've done in the past is have all the girls cover the bride's travel cost, one main activity, and a nice dinner. If there are other little things in between you want to pay for the bride but it might end up costing to much for the rest of the girls, you can discuss with the other bridesmaids and perhaps split it between them instead. So the best thing to do beforehand is to send out an estimate of the cost so there are no surprises. Also, make sure to keep track of all the costs since one person is most likely going to reserve everything up front first.

I know Fiona's wedding is already over and it has been a couple months since her bachelorette party, but I still want to share how much fun the girls and I had running amok in LA. I had the pleasure of planning it for her with the help from the rest of the bridesmaids (thank you ladies!). We decided to have a weekend getaway in LA because Fiona wanted to go to Disneyland and Hollywood would be a perfect place to party at. Since there were 11 of us, we wanted to stand out at Disneyland so we ordered matching tops for all the girls with Baby Eeyore on the front (Fiona's favorite Disney character) and on the back it said: "Bachelorette Support Crew; Disneyland 2008". Fiona also got to wear a Minnie Mouse veil around all day, which definitely caught people's attention. Overall, the planning worked out and everyone had a great time. The key is to do your research and try to at least have a general idea of what you want to do each day so that you don't waste anytime there figuring it out. Also, as the main planner, it's important to bring along with you an itinerary with all the addresses and details you need in order to get to each place. Finally, make reservations for all your meals if you can especially for such a large party.

We told all the girls the dates for our getaway and we each booked our ticket on Southwest. We rented two cars on Priceline and booked our hotels online. Here's a look at our itinerary if you need some ideas for your next trip to LA.

Thursday

Arrived late at night at LAX and picked up the rental car
Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn by Disneyland (It was comfortable and clean. I'd give it a 3 star)

Friday

Spent the entire day at Disneyland
Dinner: Blue Bayou - the restaurant right next to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It was ok, although I heard their lunch menu is better. (reservations recommended)

Saturday

Lunch: Din Tai Fung in Arcadia - One of my favorites! A famous Chinese Dumpling place in Taiwan which they brought over to the states. Go early because there's always a long wait.
Shopping: Old Town Pasadena - outdoor shopping area
Pinkberry: frozen yogurt, which is the latest fad in LA
Dinner: Cafe Sierra Buffet @ the Universal Hilton Hotel - A really good Chinese buffet with a wide variety of food including lobster and shark fin soup. (reservations recommended)
Hotel: Hilton Checkers in Downtown LA - very chic and trendy hotel. I'd give it 3.5 stars
Party: LAX Lounge - good music, but a small dance floor. There's a nice outdoor patio area to hang out at though. We made the bride wear a veil.

Sunday

Brunch: The Grub - really cute place with nice outdoor seating. (reservations recommended)
Red Mango - frozen yogurt AGAIN. It's the same concept as Pinkberry but some prefer one more than the other. It's my favorite!
Return home tired and satisfied

If you are looking for assistance with planning a bachelor or bachelorette party, I might be of help. =)

Fiona & Jordan's Special Day - May 24, 2008

2008-06-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid for my good friends, Fiona & Jordan. Their wedding took place on May 24 and it turned out FABULOUS! All the girls in the bridal party were just as anxious as the bride for the big day to arrive because we all had spent so much time together helping Fiona with all the tiny details so that her wedding would be a master piece. Everything from the programs to the name cards to the wedding schedule were made to perfection under Fiona's supervision, so we were really excited on that day to see them finally be put to use. Fiona's attention to detail certainly paid off because the guests were throwing compliments left and right throughout the whole day.

The girls and I started our day at 6am and yes, by midnight we looked like walking zombies in pink, but a girl has got to do what a girl has to do to look pretty. The other bridesmaids and I were lucky enough to have our friend Cathy, who's a professional event make-up artist herself, do all our hair and makeup that morning.

The tea ceremony took place first and after that ended, we made our way to San Francisco City Hall. The architecture of the structure is amazing. As you walk inside, you can't help but admire the intricate artwork on the interior ceiling. Jordan & Fiona exchanged vows at the rotunda in front of the grand staircase. I was relieved I didn't have to walk down the staircase in my heels! After the ceremony, the entire wedding party had a photo session in Nob Hill. Fiona & Jordan hired Perspecta Photography (http://www.perspectaphoto.com/)and Arif and his assistant were a lot of fun. Even after the 100th picture, they were still able to make it enjoyable for us. My favorite moment was with the girls on the swing set, so I'm excited to see how that turned out.

Afterwards, we headed off to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) in Oakland Chinatown where the reception was held and catered by its neighbor, Restaurant Peony. If you're someone who wants to serve the traditional 10 course Chinese meal, but you don't want it at a Chinese restaurant, the OACC would be a good place to consider. Since it's right next door to Peony, the food is still served steaming hot, and with the right decorations and lighting, the OACC can be magically transformed, just like how Fiona and Jordan did. The rest of the night went smoothly and everyone had a wonderful time dancing the night away, especially the bride and groom, thanks to a mysterious potion called wine.

Congratulations, Fiona & Jordan, and thanks again for letting me be a part of your special day!

Thanks Chrissie for taking pics for me on my camera. I'll try to post some of the ones taken by the photographer once he sends them out.

Congratulations to Yun & Tri - May 3, 2008

2008-06-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

I would like to again send my warmest wishes to this happy couple. Friends and family gathered on a warm, sunny day to witness the marriage of Yun and Tri, both who are very sweet and loving people. Yun & Tri were planning on having a wedding that mixed traditions from the Western culture and their own. Our paths crossed because they were looking for someone who understood Chinese and Vietnamese wedding traditions that could easily help incorporate them into the rest of their wedding. Coming from a Chinese family who's big on cultural traditions, I was very excited to offer my help. During the process, they were easy going and very organized, which made my job a lot easier. I do have to give the groom extra credit though for doing such a great job with staying in the loop of all the wedding details. I was quite impressed. Tri was my main point of contact and during our meetings he sure stayed on top of his game. Yun is a very lucky girl who made a beautiful bride that day. She was gorgeous in every gown she dressed in with a different hairstyle to match each one provided by the lovely Christine Nguyen (http://www.christinemakeup.com/).

Yun and Tri had their ceremony at the Montalvo Arts Center in the Oval Garden located in the Saratoga hills. The site is perfect for a small, intimate ceremony and it was beautifully decorated by Nicole Ha (http://www.nicoleha.com/). Dinner was served later in the evening at ABC Restaurant in Foster City where the banquet was held. I really liked the setup of the restaurant because it has a nicely decorated room in the back large enough to fit at least 18 tables so you don't have to worry about wandering strangers interrupting your wedding. I worked with a wonderful team of professionals that day who helped make every aspect of Yun and Tri's wedding turn out the way they pictured it to be. I think Yun and Tri were very touched by all the songs that were dedicated to them and performed by their very own guests. It was a fun wedding!

Funny story: You know how people say it's a small world out there? On the day of the rehearsal, I was stunned when one of my sister's best friends, who I've seen grow up, arrived. She was assigned by Tri to be a helper and it turns out she's Tri's cousin! Random!

Photographs by http://www.dannyzhang.com/

Welcome!

2008-06-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my blog! I'm very excited that I finally got a chance to get this started. Through my work, I hope to share some wonderful experiences, new resources, creative ideas, and much more! What I love most about this job are the friendships I gain along the way and of course, all the fun and creativity that goes into planning a wedding.

Check back soon for more updates!