A Monique Affair: Adventures in Wedding and Event Design

Dressing the Bride

2012-02-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

As a wedding planner, I have a collection of special momentsI carry near and dear to my heart. Being a part of a couple’s wedding is reallyspecial, so much so, I sometimes feel like Cinderella’s fairy god mother. Ihelp the bride make it happen and assist her every step of the way. I oftenrecount the story of one particular bride who I loved so much because she wasdaring. Daring enough to go against the grain, that she requested a red weddingdress. I took to the hunt, searched far and near, and in the end granted her thisultimate wedding wish. With that sentiment in mind I thought it would be fun topost an inspiration blog showcasing beautiful wedding dresses. Some may not realize how important the dressreally is. Not only does it have a hand in making the bride feel phenomenal, butin an unconventional sense, the wedding dress is also on display, and evenshowcases as part the celebration's décor. It is a facet of the bride’s creativityand personality. It’s the wow factor and the element that makes the bride thetalk of the town. Below is a collection of wedding dress images. Trends and the direction in which they are going in the upcomingseason. Remember what we always say, stay true to your personality and do whatyou love!

INSPIRE ME BRIDE CONTEST GIVEAWAY

A Monique Affair is starting off the year by partnering up with Adeline & Grace Photography to bring you the contest of the year. The Inspire Me Bride contest giveaway is now underway and accepting submission. Show us what wedding elements inspire you and enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card, and a chance for your wedding inspirations to be the subject of one of our styled shoots. Better hurry, cause time is running out. For full details, read our contest blog post.

Flower & Gold…And Everything Nice

2012-02-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

For a bride-to-be, there is no day more important than theday of her wedding. There is no bigger moment then when she steps into theaisle and begins her walk toward the alter. Every detail must be perfect, asthe audience anticipates her BIG reveal. It comes down to the smallest detailsthat contribute to a bride feeling her most beautiful. With that in mind, I hadthe pleasure of catching up with awesome wedding professionals Flower &Gold, who know exactly what goes into making a bride feel her most glamorous. Native to San Francisco, Alexia Ogle andAshley Smith run a highly successful boutique wedding hair and make-up businesswhich has attracted attention from big time names like L’Oreal, Bumble &Bumble, and Shu Uemera, to name a few. I had the courtesy and pleasure ofcatching up with Flower & Gold to bring you the very best in tips fromthese high fashion, artistic pros. Here A Monique Affair brings you an interviewin which they discuss their greatest beauty secrets. If we’ve piqued yourinterest and you want to learn more about this dynamic duo, visit the Flower& Gold website.

ASHLEY SMITH on Wedding Hair…

AMA: Hair Piece orVeil? What is your favorite to work with? Any tips to brides on how to choosebetween the two?

AS: I am a huge fanof incorporating hair pieces and/or veils. The key is to make sure the lookisn't overdone. For example, if the look is soft with loose curls, I wouldsuggest a small vintage comb or fresh flowers to maintain a soft feel. If thehairstyle is more formal and structured, a low set veil would be perfect, so asnot to disrupt the hairstyle. Each bride is different so it's really aboutmaking sure the entire look is completely cohesive!

AMA: What is yourmost favorite, current wedding hair trend?

AS: I am absolutelyin love with braids right now, especially because of all the different typesout there to choose from and play with. I feel they are great for capturing alovely bohemian look, as well as, creating great visual points for a photographerto feature and/or capture.

AMA: Any tips a bride should follow for good hairtreatment in the days leading up to the wedding?

AS: Give the hair a great deep treatment! Irecommend the Mending Masque from Bumble and Bumble. I will often also suggesta color gloss or toner to amplify the shine and color of the natural hair.

AMA: What factorsshould a bride consider when deciding whether to go with an up-do, or a hairdown style?

AS: First thing to consider is your level of comfort.You want to make sure as a bride, you still feel like yourself. This means thatif you never wear your hair up, I may recommend trying a glamorous down style.Also, it is important to take into consideration the cut of the wedding dressand whether there are features you are looking to show off by doing the hair upor off to the side.

AMA: What is it about your hair expertise that youthink sets you apart from other stylists?

AS: I feel I am able to truly offer a completelycustomized experience. My passion for the experience coupled with a robustskill set makes each experience a special one.

AMA: What attractedyou to the bridal industry?

AS: It isdefinitely my passion for making women feel beautiful and special in such apersonal way. I also feel driven by my love for the art of hairstyling.

ALEXIA OGLE on wedding make-up…

AMA: What is yourfavorite wedding make-up palette?

AO: I wouldn’t say Ihave an exact favorite makeup palette, for me it is all about creating anindividual palette for each woman. Ilove enhancing natural beauty and personality, whether that means a smoky jeweltoned eye or soft neutrals. It is about making any color palette work and lookbeautiful for my brides.

AMA: When planning for her wedding day make-up,what factors do you think brides should keep in mind when deciding on their look?

AO: There's nothingworse than having your big day come around, only for you to dislike the way yourmakeup looks. Remember that "A picture lasts a lifetime." Here aresome makeup suggestions to consider before your wedding, whether you’re gettingit done professionally or doing it yourself. I always ask, define your personalstyle, what are your favorite makeup colors, what time and where will thewedding be held. Think of hair styling, the style of the dress, accessories,and even color scheme. I believe your makeup should enhance your features tomake you look and feel radiant! I also encourage brides not to forget to prepand prime the skin for a flawless, long lasting finish and using makeupproducts that are photo friendly.

AMA: What's yourfavorite current wedding make-up trend?

AO: I don't believein following trends, makeup is a way to express your individuality. If a womanwants to wear a matte red lipstick on her special day, then by all means do it.The makeup should enhance the bride’s features and not drown them out to make herlook and feel radiant.

AMA: If a bride wantsto keep it simple with make-up, are there still ways to play up the wow factor?

AO: I always suggesta groomed brow and beautiful lashes, they are instant WOW factors. Eyebrowsframe the face, and a groomed brow creates an instant pop for any makeup. WhenI do bridal makeup, I start with the brows before anything else. Bytransforming them, you can completely transform the face. If a bride wants aflawless application, I’d start with the eyes and finish with the skin. Falselashes can be added to any look, and the confidence boost is palpable!Individual lashes look great with a naked eye and just a bit of mascara; thereare tons of looks you can create using false eyelashes. At the end of the nightthey come right off until the next time you decide to use them. I highlyrecommend the FAUX brand false eye lashes (a San Francisco based company). They'rean inexpensive way to achieve instant glamour and immediate gratification. Aliquid highlighter around the orbital bone and a coat of water proof mascara isa bonus and you should always be prepared in case you shed a tear.

AMA: What is it about your make-up expertise that sets youapart from other wedding artists?

AO: I am constantlygrowing as an artist. It is important to stay updated with product knowledgeand makeup skills. I love learning new tips and tricks to share with my bride.The biggest attribute my clients have shared, is that I listen to their needsand make them feel comfortable. They trust me in making them feel and look beautifulon one of their most significant days. When you love what you do that energyradiates. I am fortunate to have created relationships with my bridal clientsand still work with many of them today.

AMA: What attracted you to the bridal industry?

AO: It is a greathonor to be a part of a woman’s most memorable day. I love when a bride looksin the mirror and says "I've never felt so beautiful", it brings asmile every single time. Ashley and Ihave been fortunate to witness some magical moments between family and friends,as well as when the bride and groom see each other for the first time. Simplyput, I love what I do and who wouldn't want to be a part of a fairy talemoment.

INSPIRE ME BRIDE CONTEST GIVEAWAY

Wedding Etiquette 101

2012-02-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

In modern times etiquette is a lost art. It’s important toremember that proper etiquette is less about you and more about beingconsiderate of others. To help promote the comeback of proper manners, Ithought AMA should post a little guide to wedding etiquette, to cover importanttips that will keep you in your guests and wedding party’s good graces.

Always Keep a Recordof Gifts You Receive
Use a planner, a check list, guest book to keep track ofgifts, including senders, dates received, and whether or not you’ve sent athank you note.

Thank Your WeddingParticipants with Gifts
It’s traditional and in good form to thank your weddingparty by getting them a gift to show your appreciation for theirparticipation. You should also give yournew spouse a thoughtful gift and both sets of parents. Gifts like jewelry, pensor picture frames and always include a handwritten note expressing what theymean to you.

Make Thank You Note aPriority
Everyone loves to be acknowledged and thanked, so it’sreally important to aim to send your thank-you’s within 3 months after thecelebration. Make sure you include specific information of what the gift wasand consider telling those that gave monetary gifts how you used them.

Include Those WhoCannot Attend

Important family members that can’t make it, or family thathas previously passed, should definitely be acknowledged either in a specialprayer during the reception, or include a few nice words about them in y ourprogram.

Receive Your Guestsand Make the Rounds
Let’s face it, guests come to your wedding to see andcelebrate you. For this reason it’s very important to make the rounds duringthe reception and be sure to greet and thank everyone for coming. Remember, youcould not have a successful party without the attendance of your guests so it’simportant to always be grateful.

Quick Tips forToasters

1. Keep it brief and classy, you want to keeppeople attention not lose it.

2. The best toasts include quick antidotes aboutthe couple; keep it as a toast and not a roast.

3. Make sure you recite your speech at least once beforethe reception.

4. Avoid clinking silverware, instead keep say, “MayI have your attention please.”

5. Refrain from having too many glasses ofchampagne, you don’t want your speech slurred.

Encore Wedding Celebrations

2012-01-31T06:42:00.000-08:00

We are allfamiliar with the terms “life is short,” and “you only live once.” While it istrue that life is short, it is also possible to live many lives in one. It isfor this reason that love brings us many obstacles and who we thought we weremeant to be with, sometimes is really only a lesson to reach the next level. Ina sense it is a way to prepare us for our real true loves. What immediatelycomes to mind, and provide a perfect example of what I’m talking about is thatinfamous Sex and the City episode in which Charlotte finally gets engaged toher true love, Harry, but because she had previously been married to Trey, shefeels embarrassed to shout from the roof-tops about her newly engaged status. “I’vealready done the showing of the ring, and the big wedding.” She sadly explains toher girlfriends. In the end, her girlfriends convince her that she couldcelebrate in whatever way she wishes.

Today’s postis dedicated to the Charlottes of the world. A Monique Affair is here to tellyou to go big your second time around. Shout about your love over the roof-topsand make your second wedding bigger than the first. A Monique Affairspecializes in encore weddings, and we want to let you know that we are here toplan it with you every step of the way. There are many upsides to doing an Encore,for instance maybe your budget wasn’t up to par when you wed the first time.You can also highlight new facets of you and your true love’s personality. Weare here to tell you that you can have the fairytale, dream wedding you’vealways wished for, the second time around. Go all out with your décor, make ita destination wedding or go for a do-it-yourself signature. If you’reinterested in AMA’s encore wedding services, visit our website A Monique Affairfor further booking details. Just remember what we always say, stay true toyour couple’s personality and do what you love.

INSPIRE ME BRIDECONTEST GIVEAWAY

A Monique Affair is starting off theyear by partnering up with Adeline & Grace Photography to bring you the contestof the year. The Inspire Me Bride contest giveaway is now underway andaccepting submission. Show us what wedding elements inspire you and enter for achance to win a $100 gift card, and a chance for your wedding inspirations tobe the subject of one of our styled shoots. Better hurry, cause time is runningout. For full details, read our contest blog post.

A Monique Affair Talks Make-Up with Diva Life

2012-01-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

Theday of the wedding is a bride’s biggest moment. With the help of her maids andfamily, special care is taken to get her ready. After all, once all the partydetails are set, the true wow factor of the celebration is the moment in whichthe bride reveals herself. Part of looking amazing, is making sure you pick agood make-up artist. To help us elaborate on the make-up topic, we caught upwith the fabulous Meteka Jackson of Diva Life Make-Up to give a few points anddiscuss the subject of wedding make-up. I hope you enjoy these tips, and if youlike what you see and you’re interested in learning more about Diva LifeMake-Up, you can contact them via email at Divalife1@yahoo.com.

AMA: When planning for wedding day make-up, what doyou tell your clients to keep in mind in the days leading up the wedding?

DL: Planning a wedding, as we all know, is verystressful. In the days leading up to the wedding, I like to keep it simple. Iencourage my clients to stay hydrated and to get plenty of rest especiallybecause these two factors have the most effect on the skin.

AMA: Do you normally offer make-up consultationswith brides or do they usually just contract you for the day-of appointment?

DL: I definitely offer consultation and actuallyrecommend them. To have the best results, you should have a dress rehearsalwith your make-up artist. It is so important after all to know exactly what thebride wants for her big day

AMA: If a bride wanted to do one make-up look forthe ceremony and a separate make-up application for her reception, how possibleor realistic is that and have you had any brides request this in the past?

DL: Yes, brides request it more often than youmight think. It’s usually a softer more subtle look for the ceremony, and asexier look for the evening reception. I sometimes like to sneak in a racy redlips for the reception. Having two looks is realistic and doable, plus I lovegiving the bride exactly what she wants.

AMA: Can you offer any guidelines for our readersin terms of how they should go about planning their wedding make-up?

DL: I would recommend finding a look that fits herstyle. I also tend to recommend more classic or timeless looks. It’s best forthe photography to keep it classy and staying away from being too trendy.

Inspire Me Bride Contest Giveaway! $100 Gift Card + Styled Photo Session

2012-01-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Listen up brides to be, because we are about to release thedetails to the ultimate giveaway of the season. A Monique Affair is teaming up with Adeline & Grace Photography to give youa chance to share your wedding vision, show off your creativity, and win alittle spending cash all at the same time. Our Inspire Me Bride contestgiveaway focuses on creating and submitting your very own wedding inspirationboard.

Growing in popularity, especially over the last five years,inspiration boards are easily becoming a bride’s best friend. They are the roadmap to the details that will comprise your wedding motif. An inspiration boardshowcases color palettes, theme ideas, dresses, venues, anything weddingrelated. It’s your collection of inspirational wedding images.

Consider this thecontest kick off! If you win, you will get a $100 gift card to use howeveryou need in the planning of your wedding. Think about what you can get, use ittoward your flower arrangements and spring for the exotics, use it to splurgeon those pretty invitations, or save it until all the commotion is over andspend it while unwinding with your wife or hubby on the honeymoon…but THERE’SMORE!

The winner of our Inspire Me Bride contest giveaway willalso have their ideas turned into a photo shoot sponsored by A Monique Affairand Adeline & Grace Photography, which will then be featured in a very specialblog post dedicated to our winner! How cool is that!?!

The contest will run until noon on February 23, 2012, andthe winner will be announced on February 25, 2012 after verifying all the data.

Contest Rules

There are a few requirements (explained below) that must bemet in order to be entered into the contest. All participants will need tosubmit an email to amoniqueaffair@gmail.comwith the participants full name, wedding date and must write “Inspire Me BrideContest Giveaway” in the subject line.

All submissions and votes must be received and lodged by12:00pm (Pacific Standard Time) on February 23, 2012. Our team will then goover all submissions and votes, verifying that all requirements were met beforethe winner is announced.

What you need to do:

1. Create an electronic wedding photo collage inspiration board, in JPEG format and post it on A Monique Affair’s Facebook page, as well as on Adeline & Grace Photography's Facebook page, with your name as the caption to the photo.

2. “Like” both A Monique Affair and Adeline & Grace Photography on Facebook.

3. Follow A Monique Affair on Twitter.

4. Get yourfriends to log onto Facebook and visit your inspiration board in our Inspire MeBride Facebook photo album, and ask them to vote for your photo by “LIKING” it.The photo with the most likes by 12:00pm, February 23, 2012 wins.

IT STARTS NOW! Inthe time it took you to read this blog post, others have already started, soget to it! If you really want to win start scouring the net for all thoseinspirational images and watch us bring your wedding vision to life in a top ofthe line, artistic photo shoot. We can’t wait to see your vision! May the bestbride win!

Wedding Photography 101

2012-01-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousandwords, but one thing is for sure, the memory and the wedding photo, last alifetime. Industry professionals state that on average, a couple spendsapproximately $2,500.00 of their wedding budget on their wedding photos. Whenyou’re willing to spend that much, you better be getting your money’s worth.This is the reason I thought it was important to build a little guide towedding photography. To help you figure out what photography style suits you,get you thinking about what you want to get out of your photography, and a fewtips to keep in mind when hiring a photographer. Sit back, relax, and say “CHEESE!”

Artistry

When planning for your wedding dayphotos, spend some time thinking about what you ultimately want to get out ofthem. Do you want a bunch of candid shots of guests, are you more formal, or doyou want to focus more on the details. I thought I’d cover a few categories tohelp you decide what you might like best.

Landscape – There are photographers out there who specializedin capturing the environment of your celebration. This type of photographyembraces the venue, and specializes in outdoor shots. It also focuses on the senseof place and space, showcasing location, location, location.

Informal – When you choose to focus on informal picture moments,you get photos that are candid and shots that are timeless, like a couple’sfirst kiss, mother helping her daughter get ready, etc. This photography will include shots thatcapture and focus on the very sentimental moments of a wedding day.

Details – Perhaps one of my favorite types of photo artistry, because itinvolves various shots of all the tiny details that comprise the beauty of awedding; and maybe it’s because I spend so much time coming up with those ideasthat I love this type of photography most. When you go with the details, youwill end up with shots of the décor, the food, place settings, etc. You get tocapture all the elements that together made your celebration unforgettable.

PartySpirit – A good wedding photographerwill go to great lengths to get a great shot and they should because that’s what youpay for. A party spirit photographer is unique in that they melt right intoyour party scene and take shots of your guests, capturing photos of yourwedding from the guests point of view.

ThingsTo Consider Before Hiring:

1. Get referrals. Ifyou’ve seen a friend’s wedding photos and you just love what she walked awaywith, ask her who she used. You already have a testimonial and an example ofthe work the photographer is capable of.

2. Consider bothlarge studios as well as independents. Cover your bases and do your homework,that way it will be easier on your budget.

3. Check outphotography websites. Always take the time to see how the photographer presentshim/herself via their web presence.

4. As to seecomplete photo reels from past weddings. This way you can get a sense for theirartistic eye and style.

5. Meet them inperson. A lot of times we need to feel like we connect with a person before wefeel like they’ll understand/listen to use. Before making the final decision, aquick meet-up will help you see if you feel at ease with the person.

The Candy Pop Sophistication

2012-01-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ihave always loved the elegance of a black and white palette. The color blackalone has comforted us in our wardrobe for years; always being there when colorwasn’t cutting it, easy to retreat into its mysterious edge when we feelplayful, and perfect for denoting a glamorous event. For centuries elitesocieties have enjoyed mixing and mingling at black tie events, black &white balls and even white parties. Forthis post I wanted to draw upon color palettes incorporating black and white,but adding an element of pop with a vibrant color. I love the pairing of a colorwith black and white, because it creates a playful sophistication. I had such agreat time collecting images to share what I’m talking about in this blog. Ihope that you will enjoy dreaming of the possibilities. I’m not sure which ismy favorite exactly, I love the idea of lime green, but a vibrate hue likeyellow can be really fun as well. Just remember what we always say, keep trueto your personality and do what you love!

AMA Talks Wedding Flowers

2012-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

Bloomies On Main

Part of the allureof planning a wedding is getting to watch all of the separate elements cometogether to comprise the final wow factor that goes into the celebration. Onevery important part of the wow factor involves deciding what type of flowerarrangements to display. If you’ve done a little shopping around already, youknow that it can get pricey, but there are ways to hone into a few key elementsto build something unique and even show stopping. Since we know how importantthings like this are to today’s bride we thought it would be helpful to catchup with the ultimate flower expert, Sarah Velen from Bloomies on Main inPleasanton, California. Here we bring you some tricks of the trade to help youdecide what direction to take your flowers arrangements in. If you’reinterested in looking into using Bloomies on Main, check out the services theyoffer by visiting their website here.

AMA: What is the most important factor to keep inmind when planning flower arrangements for a wedding?

BOM: The brideshould keep in mind that the flowers she chooses will add to the ambience ofthe event. In essence a bride’s flower displays will reflect a certain part ofher personality.

AMA: Are there anymoney saving tips you can offer a bride to help make her flowers moreaffordable?

BOM: When it comesto being savvy, the bride should keep in mind that she needs to be flexible andhave a budget in mind. It is possible to save a little money and still get thedisplays you want, but you may have to compromise sometimes on the type offlowers you use.

AMA: Are there anyspecial services offered by Bloomies that sets them apart from all the other florists?

BOM: The fact thatwe are a full service flower shop with an actual store front means that clientscan always get a hold of us during normal business hours. We also do our bestto provide a customized experience in which we meet with the client three timesbefore the actually wedding to make sure everything is on track. Along withthat, we always offer a free mock up centerpiece to help bring a peak of thewedding to life.

AMA: What is Bloomies'current favorite flower trend?

BOM: Right now weare obsessed with splashes of color. This past year was definitely the year ofpurple, at least I know we worked on a lot of fun purple combinations. Thisyear so far we’ve seen that trend continue, but yellows and reds are boldcolors that are quickly climbing the trend ladder.

AMA: Are there anyimportant guidelines a bride should follow with regard to her flowers on theday of the wedding?

BOM: I guess themain piece of advice I’d give the bride is to trust the florist. Remember thisis your day and you should worry the least amount possible. This is one reasonwe do a free mock-up, so that there are no surprises.

AMA: Since Bloomies just recently did my wedding,I have to ask, what was it like working on an event planners wedding?

BOM: The mostexciting thing about working with you or rather on an event planner's wedding is that thetimeline is usually right on. A planner knows exactly what they want and how to directeveryone, in turn producing an event that is fun and effortless.

The Evolution of the Save the Date

2012-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Beginning a new yearis turning the page to a new chapter of life filled with milestone events andcelebrations. I’m always excited to anticipate news of new engagements and marriages, giving way to a whole new season of parties. With this in mind I wanted totouch on the subject of “save the dates” because this is one aspect of eventplanning that has become unique, and which is a good way to add a personal and artistictouch to your planning process. As I hit the blogosphere to see what people havebeen doing these days I was blown away by the abundance of new and creativeideas that people have come up with to announce their upcoming celebration. The firstphoto displayed below, for one, is just about one of the most unique, do-it-yourself,signature save-the-dates, I’ve ever seen. And so I leave you with aninspiration board of super creative ways other people have gone aboutannouncing their celebrations. Also a few rules of thumb: likeremember to send them out 9-12 months ahead of time to the people who need tomake travel arrangements, and 4-6 months in advance for those who are more local. With that in mind, I leaveyou then with a celebration of the “save-the-date.” I must also remind you to stay trueto your personality and do what you love!

Destination Cancun

2012-01-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

Picture it now. Sunny skies set among white silky sand. Theocean beams of a gorgeous turquoise sheen. Your guests, seated anxiously intheir seats admire the scenery while anticipating your big reveal. Then you seeyour partner standing awaiting your arrival at the altar. Can you imagine it, isyour heart pounding yet?

Today I’m callingattention to the big surge of LGBT weddings happening in Cancun, Mexico, andthe fact that A Monique Affair is getting in on the action. Today’s blog isabout getting you into the destination wedding mentality. The fact of thematter is that rules and congress can’t stop us from expressing our love, whichis why we are grateful for progressive destinations like Cancun, where love seesno boundaries whether you are hetero or LGBT. Today is about announcing to allthe LGBT couples anxious to plan a wedding and share their union with their friends& family: A Monique Affair is here to support you the whole way through. Wewill do the ground work and help make your vision become a reality, whether youwant to do the whole beach scene wedding or the lavish resort party. We will arrangeto bring our staff, we will connect with vendors and we will work with you tomake a Cancun wedding happen. Contact us to make your wedding A Monique Affair.

With that I leaveyou with some destination wedding images to start get the wheels turning.Remember to stay true to your personality and do what you love!

New Year, New Ventures, New Trends

2012-01-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and we are winding down from the bustle of all the holiday activity. 2011 is beginning to feel like a blur as we look toward the excitement and surprise that good old 2012 might bring. With that, being an event planner, the most exciting thing about the new year is thinking about all the weddings and event parties I'll get to plan. In addition, I have a lot of fun anticipating what the year in event and design decor may bring. What's buzzing on the stratosphere thus far, well a lot of different color tricks. Among what's being talked about are color palettes that offer a variation of shades of one bold color, sherbert colored schemes using oranges, pink and white, as well as pretty pastels offset with really bold accents like pink or blue. For A Monique Affair this is an exciting time, I see us growing and there's nothing more fun then watching your dreams come to life. I hope that you will sit tight with us through the year ahead and continue to explore all that is wedding, decor, party and coordination. For this blog, some New Year wedding images to get us thinking in the right direction.

AMA Presents: Best Moments of 2011

2011-12-30T13:46:00.000-08:00

What a difference a year makes and it’sbeen an amazing one to say the least. Not just for me, but for A Monique Affair.This year I saw many of my new ideas come to life. We saw the birth of ouramazing new LGBT feature “EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements”, we took the reins at the Same SexUnion Lounge for the Something Old, Something New Wedding Expo, and even wentthrough a re-branding. On this last Friday of 2011 I want to take a moment torecap A Monique Affair’s greatest moments of the year. Sit back, relax andenjoy a stroll down memory lane. I would also like to take a moment to wish youa healthy and safe New Year. Here’s to a year filled with new adventures andnew ideas.

1. Smooth Criminal Murder Mystery Party. Turning 40 this past February was not easy, butwhat I can tell you is that it brought much success, especially in business. Thisparty was particularly dear to my heart because of my love for MJ and themeparties. I wanted to create a party that was fun, thematic and had a uniquesignature. In the end it was all I’d hoped, plus my guests couldn’t stoptelling me what a great time they’d had. If you couldn’t be there, recap whatyou missed right here.

2. Something Old, Something New Wedding Expo. One of my goals this year was to up my involvementin the LGBT community. Finding a way to better support this community ofindividuals to whom marriage is very serious business. In July, one way I gotto contribute was to take the lead at the Same Sex Union Lounge and show theindustry that our expertise can break through many boundaries. The lounge was ahuge success, to review the details check out our feature here and here.

3. AMA Gets a Make-Over. When you own and run your own business it’sreally important to keep in tune with changing trends, make sure your lookis fresh, and that your brand reflects your business goals. Thisyear I saw the transformation of A Monique Affair. We updated our website, addedmore features, services and packages, if you haven’t already, make sure youcheck out our website, but revisit our big reveal announcement here.

4. EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements. As I mentioned earlier, one of my main goalsthis year was to find a way to become more involved with marriages in the LGBTcommunity. One way I did that was with the development of EnGAYged in which weshare the weddings and engagements of members of the LGBT community and which welaunched on our site in August. We’ve gotten a great response and hope that thefuture brings more involvement, check out our announcement and some of our pastblogs here and here.

5. Re-Launch Party. In September we celebrated our re-launch,unveiled our website and mingled with friends at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland.I have to admit I had butterflies at first, but it went well; the crowd wasintimate and all in all a huge success. Here’s what you missed that day.

6. A Monique Affair Ties the Knot. In October of this year I crossed a majormilestone when I had the opportunity to wed my soul mate Stephanie Daniels. We had anamazing and intimate celebration at The Brazilian Room in Berkeley, California.I’m still glowing from the entire affair. We had a blast and we still keephearing what a great time our guests had. To recap the details read our feature here. It’s been a good year to say the least.

AMA Talks Menus with Royal Raspberry

2011-12-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

It’s long been said that when planning awedding, the biggest part of the process is figuring out what food to serve.You want it to reflect what you like as a couple, but you also want to satisfyand impress the guests. Food is important to any occasion because it nourishesus and keeps us happy. In keeping with the subject of food, A Monique Affaircaught up with Debbie Pfisterer of boutique catering company Royal Raspberry totalk shop about planning your wedding menu. Sit back and enjoy this greatinterview jam packed with amazing information. If we’ve piqued yourinterest and would like to contract Royal Raspberry’s services, you can findout all about them at: www.royalraspberry.com.

AMA: When a bride sets out to plan her menu, whatshould she keep in mind and how would you advise her to achieve a well balancedmenu?

RR: Thebride should definitely keep in mind what she and her fiancé absolutely lovewhen it comes to food. I personally like to ask about their favorite restaurantand the types of foods they like to eat. This gives us a really good place tostart. Of course, if they know the likes of their guests, for instance if theyhave a lot of vegetarians or vegans, or family from certain regions like theEast Coast who love meat and several courses, then it’s possible to work thatinto the menu. We provide the groundwork forthe well-balanced part. We'll make surethere's a little bit of everything for everyone, taking into consideration foodallergies and special diets, of course.

AMA: How many tastings should a bride sit throughwith one caterer before making the decision to hire?

RR: Onlyone tasting. The purpose of the tasting is forthe bride to get familiar with "how" we create food. If a chef can cook a really great tasting and tendertri tip for example, then he certainly can cook a filet or prime rib as well. The bride will also be able to get a feel forhow the chef uses spices, herbs and salt (if everything is over-salted, that'sdrowning out the flavors) and she can have conversations with the chef about how shelikes her food prepared and seasoned. After she tastes thefood (and loves it), she can always taste other dishes she may have questionsabout, but that's the exception.

AMA: It'sbeen said that the catering is the most expensive part of a wedding, can youoffer brides any tips to achieving a lavish low cost wedding meal?

RR: Well,the catering involves so much more than just a dinner and this is the reason itgets pricey. Just the dinner alone runs at about the same price as the staffing(per person), add the rentals (linens, glassware, china, flatware, furniture,lighting set-up) and that can equal a hefty chunk. Buffets are the least expensive type of meal,but not the classiest, yet there are ways to dress it up. To make it moreupscale, she may choose to add a seated salad (served at the table) with thebuffet.

AMA: Are thereany current food trends Royal Raspberry is raving about?

RR: The mostpopular item on our menu right now is the tomato soup shot with mini grilledcheese pannini. Fusion menus are also a new trend and fun to plan. There has been an increase in multiracialcouples recently, which is a beautiful thing from a menu’s perspective, especiallybecause you can use each culture’s staple foods to create a very unique menu.This is definitely our favorite trend, because it's challenging, and we havefun coming up with a menu that really means something to the couple. We arealso digging the “new” champagne cocktail bar which includes pink and regularchampagne with a do-it- yourself style selection of raspberries, cherries,mint, lemons and other fun things to put in a champagne glass that look andtaste awesome!

AMA: Whatsets Royal Raspberry apart from all the other caterers?

RR: I thinkit’s that our service is top of the line in every way. Our staff is wonderfuland we love them dearly. Our business ethics are down to earth and we takepride in our values. However let’s talk about the two most important things.The first is that we take care to listen to our brides and we aim to give themexactly what they want. This doesn't mean it is super expensive. It means if they want a dance floor in themiddle and a vegetarian menu, we'll be sure that's what they get. The second is,our food tastes great! Our clientsrepeatedly tell us that their guests rave about our food. From grandma's macaroni and cheese (we oftenre-create family recipes), to our signature balsamic grilled salmon, our food’spresentation is amazing and the taste is even more outstanding, which leaves ourclients and their guests with a good feeling!

AMA: Yourecently worked on an event planner’s wedding (my own), what was it like towork with someone from the same industry?

I must preface thisquestion by stating first of all that Chanda Eddens-Daniels is not your everydayevent planner. Like most event planners (you especially) are ultraorganized, super high energy and a dream to work with as a bride and aplanner. I have to say, after doingevents for 20 years, I was nervous signing on to your wedding because you knew exactlywhat you wanted and it was a different look than what we’d done before. The quintessential moment for me however, waswhen you walked in the room and you screamed with joy at how beautiful it was.As far as the planning it, you really the took reins. I came away so inspired withthe look that I've been showing all of my clients the photos because they'regorgeous!

Best in Show

2011-12-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

The world has slowed down. Business is slower than usual, unless of course if you’re in the retail industry. Still, in the midst of my last minutescrambling I wanted to do a post to help further ring in the spirit. I want to wishall of A Monique Affair’s readers and followers a happiest holiday season andbest cheers for the coming New Year. Today, just before we get ready tocelebrate this great holiday with our closest friends and family, I wantedto give you some cheer by providing an inspiration board with awesome Christmasdécor images. A little something to help put you in the spirit as you make your last minutealterations. Happy Holidays!

An Ode to the Dessert Table

2011-12-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

For as long as ourancestors have been around the practice of offering sweets at celebrations,special occasions or important milestones has been alive and vibrant. Confectionsprovide us comfort; they serve as a conversation piece at parties, and bring uscheer during our greatest accomplishments. We all look forward to Christmastreats at our workplace, as we dream of cookies and chocolates and gingerbreadhouses. Being that we are in the middle of the season known for its sweetdesserts, could be the reason that I have been attracted to dessert tableslately. We all know that when it comes to your wedding, engagement, shower,birthday, any event for that matter, the cake/dessert is very important. Guests very muchlook forward to this course. Over the years, events have gained notorietyand style. Event planners have gotten creative with displays, and adding "the dessert table" to the mixis a major way they’ve done that. And so today I want to make an ode to thedessert table and share some images with you that display the best in dessertdisplays. If you’ve got an event coming up consider incorporating a desserttable and take a look at these for inspiration on how to style it.

Holiday Table Settings

2011-12-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

The table is a very symbolic part of our holidaycelebrations. It’s where we gather to make memories, to share a meal and togive thanks. Celebrations are celebrations because they are moments in which weeat, drink and enjoy the company of family and friends we sometimes only get tosee during this time of year. Keeping with the spirit of the holidays, as theycreep closer and closer, we prepare to exchange greetings and gifts. With thatin mind and because it’s cold outside, I thought we should take a look atholiday table settings. If you are hosting Christmas dinner, consider theseideas to dress up your table and create an environment that your guests willnever forget. I managed to gather some creative and amazing image ideas foryour table settings. Some are easy while other are a lot more involved and over top. Chalk it up to inspiration with this idea board. I want to wish all of A Monique Affair’sreaders and followers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

AMA Talks Wedding Music with DJ Jason Mitchell

2011-12-14T15:10:00.000-08:00

Music is animportant and major part of our lives; I mean it sets the mood, livens theambiance and get’s people moving. Music brings us together. It speaks to usduring our favorite movie scenes, unifies us in flash mobs and brings us solaceduring meditation. That doesn’t evenbegin to touch up on how important our wedding music is. I mean, what songshould be the first dance song and should you go with traditional entrancemusic or do something a little closer to your personality. The sky is the limitwhen it comes to your music, so today we caught up with Bay Area DJ JasonMitchell to talk all you need to know about booking music for your wedding.

AMA: You've been called the DJ or MC of choice according to bridalmagazines, top SF event planners, venues and fashion shows across the bay area,what would you say gives you that edge?

DJJM: I really, really love people. I love people of all sizes, shapes,backgrounds, heritages and orientations. Bringing a different group of peopletogether each night and getting them to have the time of their lives on thedance floor is an amazing experience and a wonderful challenge. I have the bestjob in the world. That said, it requires a complete commitment to your craftand always feeling like it will never be good enough. I love everything aboutDJin'! I’m constantly strivinge to take it to the next level. I've been verylucky to have some amazing mentors and peers in the industry who really push meto constantly improve.

AMA: If a couple wants to contract your entertainment services, how farin advance do you recommend booking?

DJJM: On average, we usually get about 5-9 people requesting our servicesper date, of course we can’t be at all those places at once, but it’s alwaysworth checking in with us at various times. Sometimes things change and it’snever too late to check and see if your date is available. The trend across theindustry last year was to book super late, with couples calling one to twoweeks out. Next year appears to be very different and the calendar is fillingin very early.

AMA: Tell us about the whole music selection process, do you have ameeting with the couple to go over expectations?

DJJM: First off, I LOVE my clients. I meet the most amazing people andget to share one of the most important days of their lives with them. Everyclient is unique, have different expectations and an availability to meet.Personally, I think two in-person meetings is ideal, as well as severaltelephone consults. I interact with my clients a lot on Facebook, they have theability to see what I’m up to and sneak peeks into my work. This makes themvery comfortable when their wedding arrives because they've already seen me do20-40 weddings.

AMA: How specific should a couple get about the type of music they wantplayed at their reception/ceremony?

DJJM: We get very specific on the ceremony music. Sometimes this takes afew minutes and sometimes is takes hours of listening to different tracks untilyou find the perfect match. Most of my clients are pretty progressive withtheir ceremony music, which I think is fantastic. For the reception we workwithin genres and want to create a sound that matches our clients and theirguests. Creating a congruent match within the design theme of the wedding andvenue is important as well. Weddings are a sensory experience of sight, smell,taste, emotion and sound. We really want the musical selections to enhance andcomplete the experience. The dance portion of the evening is generally where Iask my clients to be very flexible. I've developed a style and sound over theyears which, is effective at filling the dance floor.

AMA: What is the best part of your job or rather, the moment that ismost rewarding for you?

DJJM: I love, love, love, the dance portion of the evening. I'mconstantly working on technique and there's nothing like people screaming atthe top of their lungs when you mix in a new track in a creative fashion. It'sthe culmination of an incredible investment of time, energy, and capital by myclients and their vendors. You have to respect that and feel honored to be apart of it. It's what pushes you to really take it to the next level and makeit memorable.

AMA: What was it like to work on an eventplanner’s wedding (my wedding)?

DJJM: It was the best. It’s very flattering to be asked to work forsomeone who sees a hundred DJs every year and they choose you for theirwedding. It's an honor that they trust you with their own wedding when you knowthey've got a thick rolodex of DJs to choose from. It is especially flatteringwhen you haven't worked together in over a year and you're the one they call.It's also great to get to see an Event Planner design a wedding with all theirtools, assets, connections, and experiences at their disposal. The results arevery spectacular.

If you’re interested in contracting the services of DJJason Mitchell, find him on Facebook and check him out on SoundCloud.

Long Lasting Couples

2011-12-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Laura Turbow Photography invites couples who have beentogether for over 50 years into her studio for a FREE mini- portrait sessionduring the month of January. In exchange for a piece of marital advice,participating couples will receive a complimentary 8x10 fine art print. Photoswill be part of a special Valentine’s Day slideshow. Contact Laura TurbowPhotography for details and to schedule a session for the month of January.

Contact:

Laura Turbow Photography
510.528.5555
laura@ltphoto.com
www.ltphoto.com

Tips to Finding the Perfect Wedding Planner

2011-12-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

Budget, budget, budget, it’s all about the budget these days.Planning a wedding isn’t already stressful enough, but now you have to worryabout the state of the economy we’re in and how we ourselves need to cutcorners. When it comes the most wonderful day of your life, when and where doyou decide to the cut corners, do-it-yourself or simplify. A big trend thesedays has been to eliminate a planner from your gala all together, but you don’tunderstand how important it is to have one. Wedding planners have a certainedge, they are in tune with what available in their area. A good weddingplanner will know all the best florists, caterers and reception halls and willusually have connections to them. It’s also really important to go with aplanner who you feel comfortable with and even connected to, in terms of yourvision. For today, let’s review some tips on what to look for when making thebig decision.

1. Whenmeeting with prospective wedding planners, pay close attention to the way theway they greet you, if they’re dressed sharply and are on time. A good weddingplanner will be very professional, will give you their honest opinion and won’tkeep you waiting.

2. Theplanners you meet with should be able to show you a portfolio of their work andservices on day one. They should be able to talk raw numbers with you and giveyou a solid ball park figure.

3. It’sokay to ask for a list of references. If you’re on the fence between twoplanners, it’s perfectly okay to ask for references and talk to past clients tofind out what their experience was like.

4. It’sokay to ask questions. Ask about day of rates and rates from start to finish,you should be well informed of all your options and your perspective weddingplanner should have no problem answering all the questions you have.

5. Gowith your gut. This is the biggest day of your life and even if costs isslightly different, it’s a good idea to go with the planner that naturallymakes you feel calm. She will play a big part on the day of, so you should feel100% at ease.

Citrus Crush Dreams

2011-12-07T11:22:00.001-08:00

We live in a world of color. Everything brings color into ourlives. I like to explore different color schemes because it’s such a big partof what I do. We shouldn’t be afraid of color and yet so many of us are. Today,because it’s really cold outside, I wanted to explore a color scheme that’s abit tropical and a bit out of the ordinary for most. Orange, yellow and greencan be strategically used together to make an elegant statement. As I wasbrowsing some style trends this color scheme caught my eye. See, these colorstogether wouldn’t normally be my go-to colors, but I suddenly saw them in a newlight and I’m hoping that you will too. You can go bright and loud or mutedand pastel with this great color combination and you can dress it up evenfurther by tossing in the orange, lemon and lime, citrus crush theme. I’mreally digging this right now! As an inspiration I was able to gather someimages to get my point across. Remember to add a little color, because life istoo short to live it being dull.

Creative Décor

2011-12-02T10:09:00.001-08:00

In my last blog post, I had the pleasure of introducing youto Chloe’s Closet, a small collection of vintage items being made available byA Monique Affair to rent for your next big event. In that particular post, I discussthat while our items might just look like vases or dessert trays (with a littleimagination), they are so much more. Here is where my inspiration for today’sblog came in. I began to think of ways to use conventional items in differentways then they were actually intended, to come up with cute design ideas. Amongsome of the items I found most fun were creative clothes pin designs, wineglasses flipped upside down to create centerpieces and even a chandelier turnedinto a cake holder display! Anything can work with a little imagination, a lotof the ideas also had a Do-It-Yourself edge think ribbons interwoven throughchairs, chalkboard table runners and mini lamps (made by placing tea lights insidewine glasses). All the ideas were so divine and so where the images. Pleaseenjoy this inspiration board and remember to stay true to your personality!

Chloe's Closet

2011-11-30T14:47:00.001-08:00

Collection of Milk Vases & Urns

Today, I’m excited to present to you a new division to the services offered here at A Monique Affair. Being a small businessrequires staying up to date with trends and evolving to stretch into new areas.I have recently acquired a collection of beautiful vintage props, vases, masonjars, beautiful décor items that can beautify any event. Be it a wedding, a birthday or a charityevent, part of the allure for your guests is making a fun and excitingstatement, depending on your event. The creation of Chloe’s Closet, named aftermy beautiful and amazing daughter, consists of maintaining a collection of itemsthat are being made available to rent for your next big event. The items inChloe’s Closet can also be made available if you sign on for event planning services at A Monique Affair. We are over the moon with excitement as we are growing, andwe can’t wait to help put AMA's very special signature touch at your next event.Below are some photographs of the items you can find in Chloe’s Closet, while the items might just look like vases or dessert trays, they can be used in many creative ways, all it takes is a little imagination. Staytuned to A Monique Affair’s Facebook page for a complete catalog of items and future additions. If you’reinterested in renting our items, please feel free to email us at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com, with thephrase “Chloe’s Closet” in the subject line.

Vintage Typewriter

Photo Prop Chalkboard Signs

Rusched Table Linen

Dessert Pedestal by E. Isabella Designs

Vintage Books

Mini Chalkboard Signs

EnGAYged Weddings: The Finance Manager Marries The Wedding Planner

2011-11-23T08:25:00.001-08:00

Welcometo an extra special installment of A Monique Affair’s: EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements. You mightremember that back in August, I announced and shared with you, my very own engagementand photos. Today I get to share the beautiful union that took place between mywonderful wife Stephanie and I, and the beautiful celebration we shared withfriends and family on October 6, 2011. To plan a wedding isn’t always easy,especially when you’re on a budget and marrying a financial planner. In the endour wedding was everything I had hoped for, a perfect blend of elements thatreflect both Stephanie and I most. Here is a sneak peek into the most memorablenight of our lives featuring photos by Fern Lee Photography.

The Big Affair: TheBrazilian Room, nestled in the majestic Tilden Park in Berkeley, Californiacreated the perfect setting for our wedding celebration which featured themesthat mixed nature with a little bit of vintage and glam. Our color schemeincluded tones of Appletini green, chocolate brown and white. My ultimate goalwas to use elements that represented both of our personalities. Stephanie lovesthe woods which we chose to reflect with the venue and our natural woodsycolor scheme. I admire vintage and glam, which I got to reflect in our veryelegant table/place settings and got to include my absolute favorite, our vintage-writing-desk-guesttable.

The Celebration: Once the butterflies settled and the vows wereexchanged, we finally got to partying. We had an amazing menu filled with greatbites for our guests. Upon arrival our guests were greeted with pre-ceremonysnacks like grilled cheese triangles and tomato soup shots. Cocktail hour featuredcucumber rounds with lemon mousse, as well as, Gorgonzola-Pear crostini. Atdinner we served a Caribbean Jerk chicken with mango salsa and coconut rice. Wemixed and mingled with our guests and had the most unforgettable night. Beingan event/wedding planner, I’m on wedding overload all the time. I see trendsevery day. My most important goal when planning our wedding was not to date it by using alot of trendy elements. It was most important to reflect the two of us. The bestpart of the whole thing is hearing back from guests how much fun they had, and we’vehad nothing but a positive feedback. One thing’s for sure, I’ll never forgetit. I want to dedicate a special Thank You to all the wedding professionalsthat helped me that day and all my wonderful vendors. Please visit our Facebookpage for a list of contributors and highlights of them in the coming weeks.

I invite you to share your EnGAYged wedding orengagement! Let’s show the world the beauty of our unions. If you’re interestedin being feature on our site, please send a note on Facebook or at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com.

A Fairy Tale Winter

2011-11-21T23:50:00.001-08:00

Asthe weather gets chillier and we prepare ourselves for the holidays, I wasinspired by the endless décor possibilities for a winter wedding. There’s acertain magic that comes with the cold weather. We share memories with ourfriends and family around this time and the idea of love easily warms ourheart. Of course, it can be quite a fete to take on a wedding during a timethat is already usually filled with a little bit of stress, and quite a bit ofmoney; but that’s what planning ahead is for and if a couple feels close tiesto the winter season, then why not revel in the beautiful elements that canhelp bring a wedding to life. The beautiful winter wedding décor ideas I cameacross were creative, like using a vase filled with Christmas ornaments as acenterpiece, crystal and ice blue color schemes, snowmen, snowflakes and crystal. There are so many ways to plug you and your significant other into thedécor elements of your wedding, just put your heads together and bring out thebest in your relationship. Here I’ve managed to collect some beautiful imagesreflecting the best winter has to offer. Remember that when it comes toplanning your wedding, stay true to your personality and do what you love!

AMA Talks Bridal Dresses With Dimitra Designs

2011-11-18T12:05:00.001-08:00

In today's post we talk about all things bridal including dresses, tuxedos, hairstyling and accessories. Today we introduce to you an amazing bridal consulting emporium and website. Dimitra Designs was created by Dimitra Mandala, who used her expertise and her knowledge of dressmaking to fuel a career that now helps brides look and feel their best on their wedding day. With a full service, thriving website offering a ton of variety of dresses from a lottery of designers, Dimitra has created a somewhat of a one-stop-shop for a bride and grooms and styling ides for the entire wedding party. Those that live the Greenville, South Carolina area, can take full advantage of Dimitra Designs Bridal Emporium featuring full service bridal attire, tuxedo rentals, bridal accessories, shoes, veils and a friendly consultation staff. We caught up with Dimitra Designs to bring our brides some tips on things to consider when deciding on a wedding dress and styling. If you love what you see here, visit Dimitra Designs online for designer wedding dress sales and read their fabulous blog here. Hope you enjoy our informative Q&A session!

AMA: What are the most important factors a bride should consider when deciding on the style of her dress?

DD: When a bride is flipping through bridal magazines and browsing on-line at wedding gowns there are a few key points she should consider. A bride should take into consideration the silhouette of the dress and how her body shape will work with that particular style. She should also keep an open mind about fit and cut. She might be surprised that she can pull off a few things she never thought she could! She should also consider what color (or colors) would work best against her skin tone. She doesn't want to look washed out in her bridal portraits but she also doesn't want to stand out in a negative way when she's pictured with her wedding party.

AMA: What would you say is the most unique service Dimitra Designs has to offer?

DD: Dimitra Designs not only offers anything and everything a bride and groom could need for their wedding attire, but we also offer a full service hair and make-up salon for the bride and her wedding party! Our salon isconstantly booked for the morning of a bride's big day and our stylists are always working away making sure the bride and her bridesmaids look perfect!

AMA: Any money saving tips you can offer readers on how to get couture gowns at discounted prices? Does that even exist?

DD: Brides LOVE the fit and style of couture wedding gowns, however not all brides are wanting to spend $1,500 and up on their wedding dress. There are many designers now who have made gorgeous couture inspired gowns at affordable prices! Dimitra Designs carries so many bridal designers we always have the dress no matter size, style, or budget. Take advantage or trunk shows and sample sells any boutique might be having. The store might also be willing to part with a sample that has been discontinued and could offer a better dealfor the bride.

AMA: What advice do you offer a bride when she asks about how she should accessorize or style her gown for the big day?

DD: What can make or break a bride's look is the way she wears herdress! A bride might want to put her "something blue" on her ensemble with sapphire earrings or maybe blue shoes underneath her gown. If there is alot of ornate beading on her gown she might want to keep her jewelry simple with pearl studs and a simple strand around the neck. If the dress is very simple she might could add a touch of sparkle with more elaborate jewelry. Veils can also add drama to her look along with vintage bird cage veils and feathered fascinators. Each bride is unique and should try on a few things with her dress to find the perfect accessories.

AMA: What was Dimitra Mandala's motivation for creating Dimitra Designs?

DD: Since Dimitra was a young girl, she always wanted to dress up herself and others. She turned what she loved to do as a girl into a reality with the Southeast's largest bridal and formal shop where she and her staff can make any girl, no matter what age or occasion, feel and look beautiful.

AMA: What does Dimitra Designs hope to accomplish each time you take on a new client?

DD: With each bride that walks through our door, we hope to not only outfit her for the day she's dreamed of, but also to help the bride though the planning process with our large vendor program as well as our bridesmaids and tuxedo department. We hope to turn our many prom customers into blush brides, and make sure that any special occasion stays just that.

Holiday 2011: The Art of Entertaining

2011-11-16T09:37:00.001-08:00

Aswe coast into the middle of November and prepare our homes and ourselves forthe Holidays, I thought it would be a good idea to cover some Holidayentertaining tips and ideas. Part of the fun of the season is to play up yourambiance, for the party planning lover in all of us, who doesn't love toentertain and woo over the holidays? Today let's remember everything we loveabout Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, and take these ideas, tips andinspiration boards into consideration.

TIPS FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

1.Reflect the Season in your decor. Set up a Thanksgiving centerpiece to drawattention to the center of the dinner table for example, it creates a festivesentiment and helps your company and guests feel more into the fun of theHoliday.

2.Make sure you have enough food and libations. Take into account your invitelist and plan accordingly. Keep in mind the experience you had at your mostmemorable events and weddings, remember that part of the experience was havinga full and happy belly, and plenty to drink, better to have too much then notenough.

3.Create a Holiday inspired signature drink. It'll help cut down on cost. Whetherit's just Egg Nog or a Grey Hound, give it a Holiday inspired name and create asign to go with the decor to up your fancy factor.

4.Don't break the bank to invest in, and break out the fancy china, but there area few touches that will add some sophistication to your affair. For example,use your solid and/or neutral colored dishes, and definitely use linen napkinsover paper. Both of these can be strategically used to create a pop of color togo with your decor. They are simple elements that will instantly jazz up yourdecor.

5.Get people to interact. Get into the spirit of giving thanks and breaking the iceby going around the table and saying what each person present is Thankful forin the passing year. This will create opportunity for sharing stories, gettingpeople into the spirit and helping conversation flow smoothly.

Finally, I really love the Holiday season because decorations arealways pretty and comforting. For this Thanksgiving season consider using theiconic pumpkin. Lately I've noticed so many creative things done with pumkins,one of my recent faves bing the very chic glitterpumpkin, check out the link for how-to's. As a nice accompaniment to this blog,I thought it would be great to gather some Fall dinner decor ideas. Take a lookat these amazing images as you plan to entertain your friends and family thisyear. Here's to a great Holiday Season, cheers!

Veteran Inspired Wedding

2011-11-11T13:33:00.001-08:00

Today, this Veteran's Day is quite unique in that it's also 11/11/11 and thankfully also a Friday! While I had originally planned to blog about dinner party decor since it is the season, you'll have to wait until next week for that one. Veteran's Day serves as a reminder to us that there are men and women (some who we love dearly) who dedicate their lives for the sake of our country and its protection. Whether we don't always agree to go to war or not, these dedicated individuals work hard like the rest of us. With that, I was inspired by military weddings and the cute ways you can incorporate an army or navy theme into your decor. Do it tastefully or over the top, it's up to you. Think military color schemes, American flag decals, badges of honor and dog tags. I had a fun time examining and imagining what I might do if pitted with the task of planning for a military wedding, but here you see it can be done beautifully. Remember to plan ahead, do what you love and always stay true to your couples personality.

Fusing Culture & Decor

2011-11-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Today's blog post features a few photos taken by a friend of A Monique Affair. When I heard about the decor elements of this particular wedding, I knew I wanted to share it with our readers. Married over the summer on September 9, 2011 (that's right 9-10-11) Simon & Veronika used a perfect blend of elements that represent themselves as individuals, and mixed them with those that represent them as a couple. Veronika, of Mexican decent, chose the perfect pieces of her culture and blended them with elements that were important to her relationship with Simon. Their beautiful invitation featured a lotus and they drew on many natural elements which Veronika mixed very well with the Mexican traditions that meant the most to her. What did the guests get, a beautiful blend of marigold and burgandy colors, elements drawn from nature and the best in Mexican food, music and entertainment. Here I share a collection of images from this wedding to show you how you can blend your own culture and character. Just remember what we always say, stay true to your personality and do what you love.

Monochromatics + Modern Touches

2011-11-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the twenty second century ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived. As I reach the final planning stages of an 11.11.11 wedding, I think about the future, the modern, and where color trends are headed as we approach 2012. A recent Eventline article had experts predicting a lean toward monochromatics and palettes based on colors found in nature. Today's blog is inspired by monochromatics and modern decor; the idea of using black + white with the use of modern clean and simple lines. We explore the idea of minimalism, and the trick of blending your decor into your surroundings (think large banquet halls with high ceilings creating space). Monochromatics are sophisticated and can be used two ways. You can use tones of black, white and gray paired with an accent color. Or use all shades of an accent color from black to white, creating an ombre decorating effect. I was able to gather several images that achieve the sentiment I was going for, a combination of monochromatic decor ideas with modern touches. I want you to think about space, minimalism and simplicity. I want you to think about the future, because another year has gone by and we've arrived. Remember to stay true to your personality and do what you love.

EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements: The Grad Student Weds The Childbirth Educator

2011-11-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

In today's installment of A Monique Affair's "EnGAYged" weddings, we revisit a couple that may look a little familiar. You might remember meeting MacKenzie Moore and Lucy Brosgart a few months ago when they shared their beautiful engagement. Legally married on Halloween back in 2008, MacKenzie and Lucy, celebrated their 3rd wedding anniversary just a few days ago. Here we share details and images from their official wedding ceremony which they celebrated on July 23, 2011 and featuring photography by Laura Turbow of Laura Turbow Photography.

The Big Affair: MacKenzie and Lucy celebrated their love on July 23, 2011 at the beautiful quarters of the Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Club. Their decor featured a warm and rustic vibe, and amazing flower displays made with flowers from the organic grounds at Blue Heron Farms. The flowers were displayed in a variety of mason jars and vases adding just the right romantic touch to what was described by guests as an emotional and loving ceremony.

The Celebration: On a quintessential summer day, MacKenzie and Lucy, both wearing beautiful white dresses exchanged vows infront of their guests, who then dined on amazing food and danced the night away. The highlight of the night was when MacKenzie got up the courage to serenade her one and only love, by singing a heart felt version of "Sharp Cutting Wings" by Lucinda Williams. Today, they are married 3 years and going strong, not bad for two girls who found love at small college campus...

Be Our Next Couple to Be Featured on EnGAYged. Send us a handful of your Engagement and/or Wedding Photos with details and photography credits and share your union with our readers. For further information email us at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com

Halloween Weddings: Is It A "Do" Or A "Don't"...

2011-10-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

As we enjoy another passing Halloween this year, it's entertaining to see the expressions of creativity people come up with for a good costume. We enjoy carving pumpkins, making spidery baked goods and watching children in minature costumes. I enjoy all the tips and crafty projects that come with this time of year, and it's what got me thinking about Halloween weddings. As we've explored in our blog, weddings are infused with a couple's character and personality, and there are definitely Halloween aficionados out there. The main question here would be whether it's okay to go over-the-top or keep it tasteful and then I wondered what type of ideas might be out there. When it comes to weddings, what the bride wants is definitely at the forefront, but because we love the formality of a good wedding our main advice would be to keep the Halloween elements subtle. Of course, there is something enticing, memorable and fun to be said for an amazing monster mash. Here I've collected a few inspiring images to get you into the Halloween spirit, and thinking about how put the pizzazz in your next big event.

A Monique Affair EnGAYged

Weddings & Engagements

We love celebrating the love and union of couples within the LGBT community, and it's the main goal of our new EnGAYged spotlight. If you, or someone you know is interested in sharing the engagement and/or wedding news with the world, contact us at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com for submission details. You could be featured next month!

Pumpkins, Spice & Everything Nice

2011-10-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Our blog today is inspired by the best of fall, and an exploration of the color orange. Being that we are nearing Halloween, I thought it would be fun to have a festive posting week. Orange is a color represented by fall because it's the color of pumpkins and marigolds, it reminds us of the warmth of flames, and of orange sunsets cast by the fall season. Orange is the color of youth, strength, fearlessness and curiosity. There are amazing effects you can acheive using this color and the array of tones and shades of orange that are out there are beautiful and endless. This color pairs nicely with a variety of other accent colors, one of my favorites being a turqouise or soft shade of blue. Orange celebrates the best of fall, reminds us of sweet citrus and brightens our day. I spent some time searching the internet for some great ideas for orange color pairings. Here are some ideas to get you thinking and as I always says, remember to stay true to your personality and do what you love. Make sure you join us for when we get really festive and cover Halloween wedding ideas.

If You Want Something Done Right...!?!

2011-10-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

You gotta Do-It-Yourself. Today's AMA blog is a general exploration into the world of Do It Yourself weddings. We all know, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." and while we are all feeling the implications of the economy's worst of times, we have to get creative to pull of the best wedding celebration that money will allow. The good news is with Google and Yahoo, it's simpler now more than ever to do research and gain ideas. Some do it yourself items to keep in mind include gathering all your old christmas lights to adorn an outdoor setting, create a rubber stamp to design your wedding invites and save-the-dates, call to mind items that are simple to "dress-up" and cheap to buy like frames that could make very inventive centerpieces. The positive side to DIY strategies is that you end up with a wedding that has a very unique and distinctive touch, and aren't celebrations about doing what fits with your character, but also what hasn't been done before. The ideas I came across as research for this blog were quite creative, from using negatives from old film to create pretty glass vases to making your own teacup candles, the possibilities are in abundance. Here I have collected some images to get the wheels turning and of course remember to do what you love.

Picnic Wedding

Unique Aisle Decor

Personalized Rubber Stamps

This couple shared an affinity for Ugly Doll

Lamps & Vases Lined with Old Negatives

Creative Cake Toppers

A Collection Of Do-It-Youself Elements

A Letter Love Affair

2011-10-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is inspired by some really awesome ideas I came across in Brides magazine, as well as, my recent obsession with Facebook's e-scrabble, Words With Friends. Inspired to explore the beauty of words, and ways to infuse your special relationship messages into your wedding decor, we explore creative ways of using the written word as a decor element. Of course, these ideas also play up to those people that are lovers of words and the written language, for example a couple well versed in literature or that Scrabble afficionado couple that always takes the trophy at game night. If words plays up to your personality, there are several special touches that you can add to your decor to give you that uber wow factor and character. Today's ideas shows you ways to use block letters or phrases from a love song or your vows in your decor, think edible sugar paper you can print on in pretty fonts or Scrabble inspired centerpieces. The possibilities are endless and the planning is fun, just remember to stay true to your personality and do what you love!

Oui...French Accent Party Dreams

2011-10-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

Let's just say that I've had romance on my mind lately and what's more romantic than the idea of wandering the streets of Paris with your significant other. With that in mind I wanted to write about using french accents to throw a french themed party. There are a ton of ways to set the stage for your theme. Consider using rubber stamps with french icons to add accents to your invites. Use french themed votives to set the mood to the middle of your tables. As a party favor, there is nothing better then showering your guests with edibles, try passing out chocolate eifel tower pops or macaroons; and you can dress them up in pretty packages. The possibilities here are endless, fun and sophisticated. Here is a collection of images I gathered to get the wheels. I remind you to have fun and of course stay true to what you love.

It's The Little Things...

2011-10-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

When it comes to party set ups, I love the little things that support the bigger theme. Let's face it, we love a smaller version of anything. I had a friend who loved to exclaim, "Oh my god look, it's teeny tiny vase" or "a teeny tiny cupcake," for example, and a lot of things these days come in a minature size. When I look around for decor ideas I notice that a lot of times my eye is drawn to those tiny little details, little trinkets that would otherwise be useless, except that they are not useless when they take part in a centerpiece, or on a cake table, or on the dessert display; their role in these instances is really big. Today's blog is for all the lovers of teeny tiny things. Let's face it, most time it's the little things that count. I collected a bunch of images that display unique touches of decor that can add that special touch to your next milestone party. As I always say, do what you love and stay true to your personality.

Color Combination: Raspberry Meets Mr. Green

2011-10-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

When planning an event or a wedding one of the most fun aspects is choose color to bring the event to life. There are so many different shades and combinations, many that represent emotion, and those that combine to reflect culture. We'd be lost without color. One combination that is hot right now and that is eye-catching is the use of raspberry with shades of green, I personally like the pop of the raspberry and lime green combination. The pairing of these colors is earthy and sophisticated, a perfect choice for a wedding with an outdoor setting picture a gorgeous winery or a laid back farm setting. Here I share some images for inspiration, remember to keep true to your personality and do what you love!

EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements: The Grad Student & The Chef Turned Educator

2011-09-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

In this installment of A Monique Affair "EnGAYged" weddings, we meet MacKenzie Moore and Lucia (Lucy) Brosgart who are a beautiful couple from the East Bay. MacKenzie is currently a grad student at UC Berkeley, while Lucy is pursuing a new career as a birth doula and childbirth educator, after working for years as a professional chef. Here we share a few of their engagement shots and share a little bit about how Lucy popped the big question... Featuring photography by Laura Turbow of Laura Turbow Photography.

The Story: Mackenzie and Lucy met while they were both students at Oberlin College. After some courting, they finally began dating during their final year in 2002. They have been dating ever since, that is until a very curious night that happened in 2005...

The Proposal: One beautiful evening in 2005 Lucy and Mackenzie took a late night walk, in which Lucy declared her lover for MacKenzie and expressed her desire to be with her forever. Lucy asked MacKenzie to marry her on this night, and while MacKenzie knew that she wanted to spend her life with no one but Lucy, her first inclination was to say no. Lucy was persistent and over time MacKenzie says her heart warmed to the idea. They were married in 2008.

A Monique Affair Invites you to get EnGAYged!

If you're interested in being featured in our new EnGAYged Weddings blog feature, send in a request at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com. Can you wait till our next EnGAYged feature....stay tuned!

Gray + Yellow = Tres Chic!

2011-09-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today's blog post is inspired by last week's episode of Project Runway which had a "love birds" theme to it. The designers get challenged to consult with a male client to design an outfit for their significant other. One of the top looks, and the inspiration for today, was designed by Viktor Luna in which he artfully combined the divine color combination of steel blue tones with gray and muted yellow. It reminded me of how much I love it when my clients choose to pair these colors for their upcoming weddings and events. The gray's silvery undertones provide a great backdrop for yellow tones to pop, and while you can leave at the just those two colors, adding a third color, like a dark steel blue or even darker torquoise color, makes it that much more pleasing to the eye and give your party that much more dimension. To give you an idea as to the beautiful images floating around my mind, I was able to scout out these photos to provide inspiration, and to display the best that this great color combination has to offer.

Viktor Luna's Project Runway Design

A Monique Affair invites you to get "EnGAYged"!

We are happy to be running a new feature on our blog that celebrates the beauty of LGBT unions and weddings. If you would like to share your engagement and/or wedding on our blog and for the public to read please contact us at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com for details on how to get featured!

A Monique Affair Re-Launches!

2011-09-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

It was one of those quintessential sunny days in Oakland on Sunday and the setting was just right at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland for our A Monique Affair re-launch party. The champange was cold, the crowd, intimate and the cupcakes to-die for. By the stroke of 4 o'clock we had raised our glasses and watched, as our new website design showed up on the projector screen. If you haven't already taken a peak, I invite you to do so by visiting A Monique Affair. Mostly, I am grateful to all those who came out to support. I also have to thank my sponsors again, Cupcakin' Cupcakes, Hartmann Part Rentals, Lala Valentine and especially to the venue at Swarm Gallery. I could not have done this without them.

I was really impressed with the Swarm Gallery. The space is a quaint and inviting with a warehouse or lofty edge. I had many party planning visions while I was there and really think it's perfect to throw a launch party, birthday or even a very unique and intimate wedding. While the front room of the gallery currently houses an eco system installation by Colin Christy, it's a great room to hold a cocktail hour, mixer or gala, of course you should plan ahead to make sure the front room is available before planning your event. If I have piqued your interest and you might want to look into the Swarm Gallery for your next event, visit their site for info. All-in-all it was a success afternoon and we wish you could all have been there!

Simplistic Themes

2011-09-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

When you set out to plan a party, you have to figure out your theme, color and decor. We've seen our friends and family throw some very elaborately themed parties, while others are a bit more toned down and traditional. Elaborate themes require the use of more small details and for some personalities, tons of detail just doesn't work. It's then that I started noticing, when scouting out decor ideas, that you can sometimes use something as simple as a shape and build a theme around that, what results is creative and colorful. One of the most rewarding aspects of party planning and decor is the element of surprise when you stumble on a theme you didn't exactly intend, but then it ends up turning out divine. That's what this job is all about. Here are some ideas to draw on for simple themes, you never know what you might come up with. Hope you enjoy these images of inspiration...

A Monique Affair Get's Her Groove Back!

We are celebrating 12 years of success in the event planning industry by hosting family and friends in an afternoon social to take place tomorrow, Sunday, September 18, 2011 from 2-4 pm at The Swarm Gallery in Oakland. Come over and join us for the toast as we unveil A Monique Affair's New Look!

Cultural Fusion

2011-09-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Culture is a big part of our city life. Traditions make memories and touch our hearts. Living in the Bay Area, we have access to a variety of cultures, art and food, we are spoiled to live in a place where so many cultures are accessible. People become enamored with exploring different customs and there are many ways here in the Bay to delve deep. The fun of it is figuring out what your favorite cultural motiff is and using elements from that to give your upcoming events, birthday or wedding, some cultural edge. You can take pick a theme and take it all the way, or you can infuse just simple touches into your event decor. There are many ways you can celebrate your own culture or your favorite customs, which add so much character, depth and texture to your milestone celebrations. Here I share some images I felt captured the essence of several cultures and thought at the very least they'd help get the wheels turning. Just remember to keep true your personality and do what you love!

A Monique Affair is gearing up for a launch party. We are celebrating 12 years of business with our friends and family and unvailing a new look. Come and join us for an afternoon of event planning fun!!

Fall's New IT Color

2011-09-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Marigolds can be described as a flower of the Gods. Exoticlocations come to mind when marigolds are involved. They remind you of the colorof flames, or the dusty marigold orange the sky turns when the sun is droppingbeneath the horizon. I love it when party planners and brides-to-be decide touse shades of marigold. They pair well with tones of yellow and orange andreally bring out the rustic feel of fall. Whether you use the flower or justthe color, there is a ton of creative ways to incorporate the festive feel of theflower or the richness of its hue. Select it as your main color, or as anaccent to an entire bouquet of colors, the way you decide to use it will dependon your theme and your personality. Pair this fun color with white, khaki andgray or go daring and pair it with a completely opposite color, like turquoise.I’ve gathered some images to help get the wheels of inspiration going and as I alwayssay, stay true to your personality…

A Monique Affair is Getting Her Groove Back!

Join us in celebration of our new look. Come out to the Swarm Gallery in Oakland on September 18, 2011 from 2-4pm and help us celebrate the relaunch of our website!

A Monique Affair Gets Ready for the Big Reveal

2011-08-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been following us closely, you may be well aware there is a lot going on in our quarters. I am happy to announce we are in the final planning stages of our upcoming relaunch party. I would like to formally extend an invite to all A Monique Affair's friends and family to join us Sunday, September 18, 2011 from 2-4 pm at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland. We have an intimate afternoon planned in which we will unveil our new fresh look and new website design. I have partnered up with some of my event planning professional friends and wanted to give them a quick shout-out.

HARTMANN PARTY RENTALS

Operating out of Richmond, California Hartmann Party Rentals have the variety and resources to transform your event into a glamorous affair. Whether you're in need of the right kind of lighting, tent services or outdoor furniture, you'll enjoy the flexibility and friendly service Hartmann has to offer. For more information visit Hartmann Party Rentals, online.

CUPCAKIN' CUPCAKES

Cupcakin' Cupcakes, our main smooth criminal in crime, is back at it again and showering us with delectably delicious and addicting cupcakes. If you didn't get the chance to join us for the Something Blue wedding expo or felt you missed out on our Cupcakin' giveaway back in June, well now here's your chance to see what all the fuss is about. If you'd like Cupcakin' to cater your event contact them via their Facebook page.

LALA VALENTINE

The lovely ladies at Lala Valentine do an amazing job at keeping us on the minds of our public. Providing cutting edge public relations services, writing and event planning services, they are good at observing the lastest trends in love, life, culture, art and fashion. They worked closely with me and did an amazing job designing our save-the-dates and invites. Let them wax poetic for your business, for a list of services visit the Lala Valentine website.

SWARM GALLERY

Last, but certainly not least, I am so grateful to the Swarm Gallery who has allowed me to use their quaint and beautiful space to hold our much anticipated relaunch. The gallery exhibits a broad range of artwork by emerging and established artists, including painting, works on paper, sculpture, video and site-specific installations. Come check out the space and mingle with other event pros on September 18th and join us for a champagne toast. For a list of exhibits and further gallery information, visit the Swarm Gallery site.

Cake Structure

2011-08-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

Let them eat cake! One of my favorite thing about parties, birthdays, showers, weddings, baptisms, is definitely the cake. It's one of the things I look forward to most when celebrating milestones with friends and family. Cakes come in all kinds of shapes, colors, sizes and flavors. These days you even have the choice to go with a platter of single serving cupcakes. Cake designs can get really lavish and anything you dream up is possible, just take a look at the brave designs on Cake Boss or Cupcake Wars. While a wow factor is always nice, it's best to be mindful of flavors and consistency. Confections serve to make people happy and you'll want your guests to remember not only what a good time they had, but how delicious the cuisine was as well. For inspiration, admire this collection of beautiful confections.

Eco Friendly Wedding

2011-08-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Our future is important and preserving our natural resources is part of the process. That's why any step we take toward a greener future helps and even small contributions go a long way. There are many ways to incorporate eco friendly elements into your party, event or wedding. Think recycled paper invites, centerpieces made out of recycled cans or mason jars and favors that are edible. There are many creative ways to do things differently. One of the most interesting concepts I came across invovled stationary. Of course you can forgoe paper all together and go the Evite route, but paper is classy, which is why some stationary companies such as Botanical Paper Works or Twisted Limb Paper are being kind to the environment by embedding seeds into their invitations so they can be planted right into the recipient's garden. In terms of your reception, take advantage of the summer's long hours and warm temperatures and opt for an outdoor wedding which cuts down on electricity or make sure your ceremony and reception are in the same place to cut down on emissions by not making your guests drive from place to place. There are so many ways to be creative, just think re-useable materials, stay true to your personality and have a lot of fun! Here I share some inspirational images that will help start getting the wheels turning toward greener pastures.

Wanderlust Party Theme

2011-08-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

The most exciting part of my job is coming up with partydesign themes. I love the excitement of coming up with a concept, planning forit, gathering the details and reaping the reward of a successful execution. Of recentinterest, for the jet setter in all of us, I explore travel décor. Travel is afun theme to cover for a party because there are many small elements that makea big statement. For example, think of maps used as place mats for dinnerparties, or folded into origami shapes and hung from strings along walls fortexture, antique stamps and postcards that double as place cards. You can alsothink a little bit outside of the box and come up with vessels that allow us totravel, think light circus themes adorned with hot air balloons. Add a foreigntouch with stacked suitcases, suitcase tags as table assignments or incorporateairport city codes. The possibilities are endless and your final design willlook put together and polished. Here are some inspiration boards for ideas. Staytrue to your personality and remember to always have fun!

Our EnGAYgement Photo Session: The Wedding Planner Weds The Finance Manager

2011-08-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to A Monique Affair's new blog feature EnGAYged, in which we introduce to you and celebrate REAL Gay Engagements and Weddings. Today we feature our very first engagement photo spread celebrating the union of Chanda Eddens (that's me!) and Stephanie Daniels (my fiance!). Here we share our spread with photography by Nye Lyn Tho Digital Imaging.

The Story: Stephanie and I met while I was working to put together a wedding showcase for gay and lesbian couples in the bay area, back then Stephanie was working on publishing the magazine Issues, I had approached her to become a sponsor in the showcase. At the time, our relationship was strictly professional and we were both dating other people. We worked well together and made a good impression on one another which is what sparked the interest when we reconnected a few years later, that journey has lasted 8 years now.

The Proposal: On May 27, 2011, Stephanie and I enjoyed a lovely evening of music at the Ginuwine and Jon B concert at the Fox Theater in Redwood City, after the concert we got cocktails at our hotel bar. Just as I settled into our booth to enjoy my cocktail, Stephanie looked at me with a serious face and said she had to talk to me about something. After some beautiful words she said, "It's time to make this official," and she pulled out a the ring box and asked me to marry her. Of course I said YES! We'll be getting married on October 6, 2011.

If you're interested in being featured in our new EnGAYged blog feature, send in a request at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com. Can you wait till our next EnGAYged feature....stay tuned!

A Monique Affair Gets "EnGAYged"

2011-08-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

I am really excited to announce a new feature to the A Monique Affair website and blog. I am always looking for ways to reach out the LGBT community and at A Monique Affair we strive to celebrate the pure essence of love and the beauty of same-sex unions. It for this reason I am proud to announce that A Monique Affair will sponsor a new feature on it's website that will showcase Gay Engagements and Real Gay Weddings, and the feature will be dubbed "EnGAYged". The whole idea behind our new feature is to bring you real life couples, introduce you to their personality and celebrate their union by putting their engagement photos or images from their wedding on display. I am proud to kick off this new feature next Wednesday, August 10, 2011, by featuring our first couple. Let's just say this couple might look very familiar to you, but I can't tell you who they are just yet...you'll have to tune in next week to find out. It's all apples and oranges till then.

If you have an interest in being featured on A Monique Affair's EnGAYged page, email us at amoniqueaffair@gmail.com, see you next week!

A Monique Affair cordially requests you save the date!

September 18, 2011

A celebration is to take place...

Stay tuned for more details!

The Art of Coordination

2011-07-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

Partof staying current in your career industry is keeping up with new trends andindustry news, I try to do my best to stay aware of what's cooking on the eventplanning front and so I am constantly looking for things. I like keeping upwith Eventline, they always bring up topics that force me to stop for a momentand think. Topics that I enjoy bringing to you, to find out what your point ofview is and how you feel about certain topics of discussion. Of recent note, Iwas captured by a post Eventline did relating to "Day-Of"Wedding services. Apparently, there is a trend that was born after the weentered the recession, in which brides take on the entire planning of a weddingwithout guidance from a certified wedding professional. They then hire aprofessional to do the coordination on the day with little to no preparation orhistory. In an attempt to stay afloat I understand doing what you have to do tosurvive, but it is also hard to believe that some professional wouldactuallly offer these types of services knowing themselves the specialty of ourwork and how important it is to use a coordinator that is involved in all stepsof the process. We are in a world that is "Do-It-Yourself" happy andwhile I am an advocate for low budget productions, you would be surprised howyou can negotiate terms and stretch a budget while not skimping on theimportant things. I am curious to find out what my fellow event colleaguesthink about such "Day-Of" Wedding services? Are they a do or are they adon't? If you're interested in doing your homeword and checking out the articlethat sparked this debate, via Eventline's website.

At A Monique Affair we are hard at work on our rebranding and we are looking forward to celebrating our years in business in a celebration. Mark your calendars so you can join us and help celebrate our new look with us.

Our relaunch party will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland.

Stay tuned for more details to come!

Put a Signature On It

2011-07-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that when it comes to party planning a majority of your party budget will be dedicated to food and drinks. As I have mentioned many times it the past, the food you serve leaves a lasting impression on the minds of your guests. One method that's trending at the moment, and one that I have really enjoyed at celebrations is the element of adding a signature cocktail to the beverage menu. You may be thinking that it's too much trouble, but there are a few benefits to offering a signature cocktail. First, you will need to buy ingredients in bulk, which is usually cost effective. Second in the cost effective category, adding a signature cocktail to a reception serving only beer and wine will add variety and the illusion of having more options. It's also cost effective because you can buy beer and wine in bulk.

A signature cocktail is also a fun way to add character to your celebration. Choose a colored mixed drink that matches your party colors. If it's summer, go with something blended and garnish with exotic flowers. It's easy to add a nice personal touch by using a little imagination and going with a signature cocktail. For wedding, choose your favorite cocktail and then rename it using a combination of the bride and grooms name, or put a twist on it by incorporating an element from the honeymoon destination, or choose a name that falls in line with the couple's theme. If you give it some thought and imagination, you will see the possibilities are endless. As usual, just do what you love and stay true to your personality.

Same Sex Union Lounge Features...

2011-07-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

You've heard us buzzing about this Sunday's Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue wedding expo set to take place this Sunday, July 17, 2011 at The Winery SF on Treasure Island. It seems like just yesterday I agreed and it was confirmed that A Monique Affair would sponsor the wedding expo's Same Sex Union Lounge. It's been a busy month to say the least, with lots of careful planning. And now we are only days away from the big event. I'd like to take a moment to commemorate and introduce all the wonderful local vendors who have agreed to help me put on an amazing Same Sex Union Lounge presentation. In addition, I want extend a warm invitation to you, my friends and readers to come out and joine us, admission is free and there will be plenty of family friendly activities. And of course, most importantly I want to extend a great big thank you to those participating in making the Same Sex Union Loung a huge success!

Cupcakin' Cupcakes
Theart of the gourmet cupcake drives the passion behind Cupcakin’ Cupcakes delicious homemade cupcakes. You might remember Cupcakin’ from our June cupcake giveaway, andmastermind Lila Owens is back to feature her sweet confections as our featured dessert at our Same Sex Union Lounge. Make sure to stop by and see what all the hype is about.

Bloomies On Main
Preparingfloral designs and demonstrations for the Same Sex Union Lounge, Bloomies onMain in Pleasanton, provides innovative signature designs that add the rightpersonal touch to all your special moments. Swing by to steal a glance at theirunique flower presentations.

Music Solutions Disc Jockey's
Providinglive entertainment, Music Solutions Disc Jockeys represent some of the mosttalented disc jockeys in the Bay Area. The DJ’s from Music Solutions havegotten nothing but excellent reviews and have been branded the best DJ/MC’s byTop SF event planners. Come on by and watch them spin the best in latest musictrends.

Le Bonne Cuisine
Runninga full service catering and event planning operation, Le Bonne Cuisine is knownfor great food and unique food displays. Providing the nibbles andbites at our Same Sex Union Lounge on Sunday, swing by for delicious bites andfine artistic displays.

Adeline & Grace Photography
Capturingbeautiful and scenic weddings in the Napa Sonoma Wine Country and San FranciscoBay Area, Tiffany Fosnight captures memories in a photojournalistic manner witha classic edge. Specializing in capturing the small gestures that make thememory, Adeline & Grace Photography have a sentimental eye.