A Divine Occasion: September 2011

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Perfect Gifts for Bridesmaids

Your bridesmaids have been by your side and worked hard to make sure your big day is stress-free and filled with love and laughter. They deserve a beautiful gift that says thank you for being a great friend and for participating in one of the most important days of your life.

But how do you find jewelry that not only coordinates with your wedding colors and style, but also suits your bridesmaid's personality? Don't forget that not all of the bridesmaid jewelry has to match perfectly. It all has to coordinate and harmonize.

Buying personalized jewelry is another option for your bridesmaids. Having a bracelet with their name engraved in it is something your friend will save as a keepsake forever and it will always remind her of your wedding.

Keep in mind each bridesmaid's personality. Some people like old-fashioned jewelry and some do not. If you're going with gold jewelry for your wedding, one bridesmaid could have a traditional style gold necklace, while another bridesmaid might like a more modern style gold bracelet. Take some time to peruse magazine, blogs and books for the perfect jewelry for your best friends. We've picked out some beautiful items to get you started!

Pearls and gold chain necklace at www.pinterest.com. 1950's milk glass necklace at www.etsy.com

Deanna Littell's Charm School charm bracelet. Gold and turquoise earrings at www.modcloth.com

Gold and pearl bracelet by Scarlett Jewelry. Pearl earrings by JCrew.

Pearl bracelet by Skye Juice at www.etsy.com. Fall necklaces by Sara Freeman at www.etsy.com

Personalized silver spoon bracelet by The Cottage Path. Tiffany Sugar Stack Rings.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Eddie Zaratsian of tic-tock Couture Florals

I love working with Eddie Zaratsian for a number of reasons. He is not only acutely mindful of design trends as they're happening, he is a forward-thinking trend setter. When designing events, it's crucial to be fresh and unique, while at the same time honoring the personality and wishes of your client. When I describe the vision for a wedding or event, Eddie always gets it and he goes above and beyond to deliver floral arrangements that incite amazing emotional responses from my clients and their guests.

Eddie unearthed his passion for floral design over 20 years ago and decided to enroll with the Phil Rulloda School. Phil recognized Eddie's talent and encouraged him to join the American Institute of Floral Design (AIFD) where he became one of their youngest inductees. While Eddie lived abroad, he learned so much and was inspired by Europe's beautiful art, architecture and history.

He returned to the United States and began pushing creative boundaries as Creative Director of tic-tock Couture Florals. His A-list clientele grew quickly and he began working with the world's most renowned wedding planners. He has designed for private events at Chanel, the Emmy's Governor's Ball, the launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network and has been featured on countless television shows, including an appearance as a contestant on LOGO TV's The Arrangement.

In June, he launched Eddie Zaratsian Custom Florals and Lifestyle in conjunction with the grand opening of Restoration Hardware's Beverly Hills concept store. The studio features arrangements for in-store purchase or home delivery. Eddie's style complements Restoration Hardware perfectly and I can't wait to visit the gorgeous new boutique!

Photo Credits:
1. Eddie Zaratsian. Photo by Kris Kan
2. Wedding by a Divine-Occasion. Photos by Larry Crandall Photography
3. tic-tock Couture Florals bouquet. Photo by JLG Photography
4. The Fashion Report at Junebug Weddings. Photo by Apertura Photography
5. Eddie Zaratsian's Fresh Floral Boutique at Restoration Hardware
6. The Flower Wall inside the Fresh Floral Boutique at Restoration Hardware

Friday, September 9, 2011

Jes and Danielle's California Wedding

In 2005, Jes was on a business trip to Los Angeles and stranded in downtown LA. He'd missed his ride back to his hotel in Santa Monica after a company party that Danielle had also attended. And as fate would have it, he didn’t meet Danielle until he was aimlessly trying to find a way home.

A colleague spotted Jes looking for a cab (which does not exist in downtown LA at midnight) and introduced him to Danielle and her friend Erin, who were about to drive home to Santa Monica. After some playful ribbing, Danielle somewhat reluctantly agreed to give him a ride home. And that’s how it all began...

On October 3, 2009, Jes and Danielle went for a hike on the Appalachian Trail. After hours of hiking, they finally made it back to the car and began a search for somewhere to eat. While on a back mountain road, Jes hit a huge pothole and said he thought they might have a flat. He pulled into a little grassy area overlooking the Delaware Water Gap and got out of the car to check on the tire. While under the back of the car, he yelled for Danielle to come out and help. As she walked to the back of the car thinking she was helping fix a tire, she saw Jes getting down on one knee, getting ready to propose.

When Danielle first came to me, she immediately expressed her desire to capture the essence of California style into her wedding. She grew up in Southern California before moving to New York and wanted to bring her friends and family out here, to share with them what she loved so much about Orange County for her big day.

She also wanted to have the ocean as a backdrop, so this really helped in choosing a place; and the St. Regis was perfect. It had everything Danielle and Jes wanted; elegance, a California vibe, a top-notch staff and an amazing view of the ocean with gorgeous sunsets every evening.

Jes and Danielle's wedding day turned out to be truly amazing! All of their family and close friends were in attendance and Jes’s father performed the ceremony, which made it wonderfully warm and emotional.