As this was my first photo shoot working for Kelly, I thought I’d share with Santa Barbara Chic readers some of the behind-the-scenes goodness from the day! First of all, it was raining…

The rain and humidity from the day did not bode well for the ribbon glue.

This was about the third time that we were going back up to re-attach the “tentacles”.

Kirsten Ellis in action.

And her assistant, directing the light while trying to stay dry.

Kelly simultaneously wiping centerpieces dry while lighting candles…

The favors, by Santa Barbara Preserves, pre-production.

To see these and more photos from behind-the-scenes on an Anthropologie wedding, click here, here, here & also here for my four post coverage on StellinaStellina.

I love designing the food and beverage as much as the tablescape (it must be those 5 years working for catering companies and creating menus!).

SBB Catering was kind enough to create a geranium lemonade and lavender iced tea which would be awesome for welcome drinks.

I found these paper straws online and I fell in love with them. They’re so cool and vintage!

I found this wood Coca Cola crate at a vintage salvage store. I absolutely love the texture of the wood and the old metal brackets.

Who wouldn’t want a cold coke on a hot day?

I love this adorable photo with the flower girls! How cute are they!?!

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Catering: SBB Catering

Design: Kelly Oshiro Events

For the cake design I really wanted a bottom tier that was twice as tall as the top tier. I love the proportion of April Reed’s cake and that was definitely an inspiration to me.

The cake was created by Robyn Loves Cake and she is an expert at sugar flowers. Can you believe this sugar flower peony?

The pattern of cut fondant was taken from the bottom of Stow House. Its a very Victorian detail on the house and I loved that little bit of texture on the bottom of the cake.

This is the sketch I gave to Robyn. I debated using a dahlia versus a peony, and ended up going with the peony. But as you can see Robyn executed the sketch to a T!

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Cake: Robyn Loves Cake

Design: Kelly Oshiro Events

I love vintage suitcases and I thought holding fans would be so cute.

I tied grosgrain ribbons in two colors to the base of the fans to add some color.

For the flower girls I found these copper candles holders that were the perfect scale for their baskets.

I tied each side with grosgrain ribbon and filled them with baby’s breath.

The flower girls were too cute!

For favors, Santa Barbara Preserves made rose jelly and put these in adorable mini canning jars.

We used the same dashed pattern on the napkin as a border for the label. Santa Barbara Preserves custom made rose jelly, but she can make any flavor (her habanero raspberry jam is so good!)

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Favors: Santa Barbara Preserves

Design: Kelly Oshiro Events

There was this great rusted fence at Stow House and I thought it was the perfect place for the seating cards. Betsy Dunlap did the calligraphy and I clipped the little cards to the fence with mini clothespins.

Instead of making up faux guest names, I used some of my favorite authors as “guests” for at my Anthropologie wedding. I love George Eliot and Betsy’s calligraphy makes her name so pretty (and its an awesome keepsake for my office!).

For the invitation design I gave Megan of Nutmeg Press, three sources of inspiration: I wanted an aqua  fade with the couples names in white and to use the pattern and color of the napkin fabric for the design inspiration. And this what this what she created:

The blue fade is so pretty and subtle and the copper dashes tie in perfectly with the napkin pattern.

The menu cards were little booklets the size of a business card with all the courses on each page. It was bound with copper thread. I was so in love with the invitations and Betsy calligraphy they are definitely getting framed and hung somewhere in my office!

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photography

Invitations: Nutmeg Press

Calligraphy: Betsy Dunlap

Design: Kelly Oshiro Events

Location: Stow House

For the dining table I set it up under a large juniper tree. I picked out the linens and napkins from Michael Levine’s and had them custom made for the table.

For the decor I love the idea of mixing traditional taper holders and putting them in glass cylinders. The look is modern, and practical, since  you’re taper candles would blow out otherwise.

For flowers I used pink and white ranunuculus, blue thistle, berzilla balls, muscari, peonies, queen anne’s lace.

All the containers were from Anthropologie except for the pink depression glasses (reused from the Valentine’s table I did for the City Sage), the candles holders (Jamali Gardens) and the glass cylinders were bought in downtown LA.

I mixed Town & Country’s gorgeous aqua chargers with their Provencal line for the table setting.

On top, I made a flowers from copper wire and tucked in the menu card envelope which had a letter pressed pattern that matched the napkins.

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Flowers, Design, Production: Kelly Oshiro Events

Rentals: Town & Country Event Rentals

Paper Goods: Nutmeg Press

The inspiration for the ceremony was those paper chains we all made in kindergarten. Instead of paper, I used grosgrain ribbon which has a beautiful subtle sheen to it that I just love.

Cynthia and I made about 540 loops to achieve the effect I was going for.

I thought the effect was so pretty and magical!

Photos by: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Design, Styling, Production by: Kelly Oshiro Events (me!)

Assistant: Cynthia Beard

For the groom, I choose a light tan suit from Mission Tuxedo. A simple blue tie completed his look.

For his boutonniere, I used a  white ranunculus with three muscari as an accent and all wrapped in a light blue ribbon.

Photos: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie

Suit: Mission Tuxedo

Model: Orion Gullete

Flowers & Styling; Kelly Oshiro Events

A wedding I coordinated in November is up on Green Wedding Shoes.

Photographed by Kirsten of Beaux Arts Photographie the photos are to die for. Go check it out here.

The cake, the only traditional element of the wedding, took center stage. I had the florist bring plain boxes so we could wrap the paisley fabric around them and I had a custom made runner made from the same fabric.

My hand cut letters of Mr & Mrs were hung on the bride and groom’s chairs at their sweetheart table.

The carnation letters were moved fom the ceremony gate to the reception.

The bride and groom took photos on their vespas during cocktail hour and used the “love” sign I made.

Toasts started before the food stations opened, and included a song by the bride’s brother and sister.

Props were setup next to the vintage photo booth and guests took some hilarious photos for the bride and groom’s scrapbook.

And they danced and danced and danced…

Meanwhile my assistants setup the favors by the valet station. I bought Paulette’s Macaroons (so yummy!) and used clear boxes with a sticker of the couple monogram.

At the end of the night the couple left in their dad’s vintage car.

And lived happily ever after…

Special thanks to all the vendors!

Harper Smith Photography

Catering by Field

Town & Country Event Rentals

Atlas Pool Decking

Design Visage

Collage Designs

Rosebuds Cake

Atmosphere Entertainment

Photobooth Scrapbooks

{cevd} custom invitation studio

And now onto the wedding! Guests were greeted with the couple’s first initial on the gate to the ceremony location. Valet took guests cars and directed them to the main lawn for the ceremony.

The program fans were placed on each guest chair.

The ceremony aisle was lined with rose petals in a paisley pattern.

The bride and groom met each other before the ceremony and took photos.

Guests began to arrive an enjoy their program fans.

And the ceremony started….

Flip flops were standing by for ladies who needed them for the walk to reception.

And were placed under a palm tree.

And a trail of rose petals lead guests to the reception.

Photos by Harper Smith.

Since the party would be held in father of the bride’s backyard and 300 guests were coming, the pool had to be covered. Unlike the last pool cover I did in May, this one was very complicated and took Atlas Pool Decking a good 8 hours to get it just right.

As you can see by this photo, all the plywood had to be custom cut on site, to go around the many rocks and boulders that surrounded the pool. Needless to say, I was impressed with their work.

Since the pool was such an irregular shape, carpet or astroturf wouldn’t work to cover the raw plywood. I suggested painting the wood, and the on site property manager, Arturo, did a phenomenal job. He painted all the wood a light gray and then taped a grid pattern onto the gray plywood. Then he painted the plywood a terracotta color. After he removed the tape, the plywood blended seamlessly into the existing Spanish tile.

On Monday, I’ll post the photos from this wedding. Have a good weekend!

Bottom photo by Harper Smith.

Since the wedding was taking place in Anaheim in July (read– HOT!) we did program fans for each guest. I printed 300 5 x 7 programs and then glued the paper to the fan.

Needless to say, there were a lot of fans. A lot. They were used all night, and guests were  dancing with them late into the night. The fans are from Bliss Wedding Market and are available in many colors. They can be purchased right here.

The invitations were created by Christine of cevd. I loved the envelop liner and the pattern she created for the invite itself.

The getaway car for the bride and groom would be the father of the bride’s classic car from the 1930’s. I made the “Just Married” sign out of card stock, ribbon and used the font from their invitations.

Then on the day of the wedding I hung the sign on the back of the vintage car. Here’s me in action getting the sign perfectly straight.

Once done, I hopped into my golf cart (which are so fun drive) and went back to ceremony.

My assistants, Megan & Mariana, stayed behind to be “car models…”

And take the photographer’s assistant to the reception to get detail shots.