The Knot Market Party : Smog Shoppe : Culver City

Every year, The Knot.com and The Knot magazine throw one of LA's best shindigs in effort to spoil their advertisers and entice new ones. Attendees are typically event planners, photographers, floral designers, caterers and entertainers which for those of you who might not have guessed, can be challenging to impress. This year, I had the honor of planning this great event and needless to say, it was both nervewrecking and exciting to plan an event for some of the nation's top industry professionals.

This year's event was in Culver City and the theme was "going green." I think we did just that. The event was at Smog Shoppe, LA's newest completely green event space by the fabulous owners of Marvimon. The venue is completely solar powered and everything from the bookshelves to the dining tables and chairs were refurbished and still, fabulous. The site definitely proved to industry professionals that going green doesn't mean sacrificing the experience of the event at all.

The menu was completely organic and none other than the work of the amazing Food Art. From Kobe sliders to banana nutella wontons, guests did not leave unsatisfied.

For entertainment, I brought in something new for each hour of the event, from Cale Music, LA's hottest spanish guitarists, to Scott Topper Productions who was both the DJ and photobooth provider for the night to the headliner, String Theory Productions. If you haven't had the experience of witnessing String Theory in person, I insist you find a party to crash where they are the entertainers immediately. Or, even better if you can actually get an invite. This is a group of performance artists who played on strings which were installed across the entire room (approximately 40 feet long). There was hanging drums, fabulous vocals and overall just a mesmerizing experience. Check them out immediately!

The, too good for words, florist, Ricardo Luna and lighting designer, Sid Khera of Aspect Lighting, ensured that, not only did the event remain green, but it looked amazing when doing so.

Overall, the day was a huge success. Here are the pictures to prove it. Enjoy!

Sweet Jane

I wanted to introduce the newest member of my team, Jane Lopez. I am so thrilled to have Jane leading our Hawaii studio that I can hardly stand it. Not only is Jane Hawaii's top event planner and designer, but she was born and raised in the islands adding a special touch that only a local waihine can offer. Here is a little more about sweet Jane:

Jane lives on the incredible island of Maui and her knowledge of the island and extensive experience in the wedding industry makes her one of Hawaii’s most valuable resources. A former chef with a degree in Culinary Arts and Food & Beverage Management, Jane had always dreamt of one day planning events. Her dream became her reality in 2005, beginning her planning career with one of Maui’s top planning companies. Her passion and intensity for planning has allowed her to plan events for many of Hollywood’s film and television industry as well as professional athletes. Her consultation services have also been sought out by some of the country’s top celebrity wedding planners. Jane focuses on customizing each and every event to match the style and personality of each couple, and the end result is always an incredible experience. Her personalized service, attention to detail, strict standard for quality, and expertise are just a few of the qualities that make her a must have for any destination wedding experience.

Jane and I have had the opportunity to collaborate on many events over the past three years and I am very lucky to have her on my team. Jane will service all of the Hawaiian Islands as the Lead Event Planner & Designer for Hawaii and beyond. Please give her a warm welcome and if you are island bound for your upcoming wedding, contact her immediately at jane@bethhelmstetter.com. Aloha!

Oh, and by the way, the lovely photo is by Scott Drexler Photography. He is an amazing Hawaii based photographer. Check out more of his work at www.scottdrexler.com.

The House of Harry Winston : Winston Bridal Week

See the look on this mother of the bride's face? That is the look of a woman about to wear none other than Harry Winston on her daughter, Kim's, wedding day. You cannot fake the type of passion she has in this moment. For those of you who don't know, I am a HUGE Harry Winston fan. The jewelry offered by Harry Winston is only the rare, exceptional, and utterly timeless, exactly how your wedding day should be. For those of you who aren't familiar, Harry Winston was an American icon and his vision lives on through the magnificent pieces sold at his 19 salons worldwide. The jewelry is truly spectacular and could be the perfect solution for your bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents or even the extra special gift you give your fiance on your wedding day.

This week, my friends over at Harry Winston invite you to fall in love. From November 13th-November 22nd Harry Winston Beverly Hills will be hosting Bridal Week. This event gives guests the unique opportunity to experience the world of the Harry Winston Bride. Enjoy the exquisite engagement rings, wedding bands, and timeless jewelry that keeps Harry Winston’s legacy thriving. They are located at 310 N. Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills. RSVP to 310-271-8554.

This is an event not to be missed! If you are able to stop in, please ask for my good friend, Noah, and tell him I sent you. Enjoy!

Sarah & Daniel's Engagement Session : Santa Monica

Sarah and Daniel are one of the wonderful couples I am currently working with, who happen to be marrying in December at the luxurious Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. I am anxiously counting down the days until their big day. Sarah's style is so fabulous and she is all about the details, which I love. Unfortunately, I can't share anything about the big day yet as she is keeping everything under wraps from her guests, but the wedding is going to be to die for. I cannot wait! In the interim, however, I wanted to share some pictures from their engagement session with Jacob Atmodojojo, one of my favorite photographers in Los Angeles. Check out the magic he created in a quick, 30 minute shoot in the lovely community of Santa Monica. I am literally dying to see Sarah and Daniel all dressed up on their wedding day. They are such a gorgeous couple!

I Heart Laura & Craig

Today I'm coming down off of the high that was Laura & Craig's wedding weekend. Craig and Laura are this super amazing East Coast couple who have been in West Hollywood for years now. She's a writer for a Family Guy spinoff and they are friends with the guys from Coldplay so needless to say the whole thing was fun, hip and all around, just very LA. Of course, I don't have pictures yet, but below are some shots from the venue and since I just can't wait, I want to share my top 10 favorite details of the weekend:

10. ROAST & TOAST: Friday night was a rehearsal dinner slash welcome party for their guests who literally traveled from all over the world including Africa, Dubai, Europe and of course the East Coast. They had been planning a roast from the very beginning which sounded like fun, but when I got the list of speakers (over 30), I became a bit nervous. I mean, who really wants to listen to 30 people speak in one evening? But, my oh my, was I wrong. The night went past midnight with friends telling stories, seranading and showing the couple some all around love. It was truly amazing!

9. FIGUEROA HOTEL: Oh, the venue...I can't say enough. It's like stepping into Morroco. In fact many Hollywood movies which were supposed to be set in Morocco have been filmed in the halls of this hotel. All, I can say is wow! And since, I know I can't do it justice, I have inserted pictures below. AMAZING!!!

8. DOUGHBOYS RED VELVET CAKE: Yum! Definitely not known for his design skills but this red velvet cake was scrumptious with the thickest, richest cream cheese icing in Los Angeles. Oprah even raved about it a couple of years ago.

7. MOROCCAN LANTERNS IN LIEU OF FLOWERS: In effort to keep Laura and Craig's budget under wraps, I cannot tell you exactly how much they saved on flowers, but by choosing one of LA's best kept secrets which included lavish silk and beaded table runners, rustic wood furniture and candles and Moroccan lanterns EVERYWHERE, we were able to create an entirely different world for the guests and very, very few flowers were hurt in the making.

6. CHUPPAH QUILT: The chuppah was also amazing. Several months ago, the couple sent out quilting squares to select members of the family and each designed a square which then was sewn into the chuppah for the ceremony. It was so much fun for each of the guests to find their square and it is a meaningul token that Laura and Craig will keep forever.


5. THE BASTIA: And the cous cous, soup harira and filet of sole...and all of the items that made up the traditional moroccan feast. With servers dressed in Moroccan costumes and dinner served on flamboyant china in rich jewel tones, it was truly an experience.

4. SUPERNOVA QUARTET: Speaking of being in love, I couldn't love this group anymore. With the sounds of GNR, Coldplay and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" coming out of the classic string quartet, is just something you can't miss out on. I personally just like sitting in the background watching the guests as they realize that what they thought was just the typical stuffy quartet is actually playing Beyonce's "Crazy in Love", which incidentally was the song the couple exited the ceremony to. The group also has rewritten some funky versions of old classics like Canon in D, Winter and Air on G String that will make your heart stop. Check them out immediately!

3. HEIFER INTERNATIONAL: For those of you who know me you know that I don't really love wedding favors. They are typically impersonal and something that guests are going to throw away as soon as they are out of your sight. This being said, I really try to steer my clients into one of two things...1. something that helps carry out the feel or 2. something very personal or meaningful. Laura and Craig certainly went with the meaningful approach. They purchased livestock and donated it to communities to help establish a sustainable food supply by providing milk, eggs and meat. They did all of this though a program called Heifer International and I know every guest there was so much happier to know the money went to something other than a refrigerator magnet with the couple's picture on the front. At a time when our society says everything should be all about you, this couple made sure to think of what they could do for others as they celebrated all of their blessings in life.

2. PERCUSSIONISTS: So after a candlelit Moroccan feast, percussionists lead a very sexy, very chic congo line down to the Room Tangier which was a Moroccan lounge with floor pillows, sexy sheer draping everywhere and the sounds of percussionists accompanying DJ Shark as he kept the dance floor moving until 2am. Can I just say sexy one more time please? It was hot!

1. THE KIPPOTS FROM UGANDA: Going back to the caring nature of this couple just once more, the Kippots or Yalmukas were handmade in Uganda by a woman known in her town as Mama Rebecca. The Kippots are the best quality I have seen yet and the price is very comparable to what you would find a low quality kippot for here in LA. I'll have much more to come on her services, but if you are in need, shoot Mama Rebecca and email at reukal36@yahoo.com or srianprincess@gmail.com. She needs about a three month lead time.

There it is! My top 10 list from this weekend's amazing, amazing, amazing affair. I cannot wait to share the pictures. They are from the talented Jennifer Roper and I know they will be unbelievable.

Congratulations Laura & Craig! It was such an honor to be part of your day.



Here's the site where ceremony and dinner went down:

Cocktail hour on an outdoor veranda surrounded by bouganvilla and LA skyscrapers. What more could you want?!

The amazing Room Tangier...

Asia & Eddie : Kahala Resort & Spa : Oahu

I wanted to share a few images from Asia & Eddie's destination wedding in Honolulu. These two were so much fun and the day was just beautiful!! It was held at the Kahala Resort & Spa, one of my favorite places to work in the islands. The service, the atmosphere, the food...pure glamour!

The bride's top priority were the florals and she wanted a feel that reflected the islands with a more subtle approach, so we enlisted Fong of Floral Inspirations and she did just that. With the juicy citrus tones and the touches of coral and beachwood, Fong definitely didn't disappoint. If you ever find yourself planning a wedding on Oahu, Fong is a MUST! For anyone who follows my work, she is also the florist of Judy & Albert's featured wedding from my website and Style Me Pretty. Her work is lavish without being overdone, and is ALWAYS interesting. I just love her!

The ceremony took place on the oceanfront lawn near the resort's wedding gazebo. Afterwards the guests were lead by ukulele to the resort's ballroom which overlooks tropical gardens, a waterfall and dolphin pools. It was a hit! The group had an extravagant dinner following by dancing the night away to Oahu's best DJ, Teley Brandon of ShowTime DJs.

Images are by the amazing Rachel Robertson, who shoots about 90% of my destination weddings. She's wonderful!

Oh, and I have to mention the calligraphy. It was done by Laura Hooper, who I will be doing a full blog on any day now. I love Laura's work so much, I have her design everything for me, from my logo down to my business cards and press kits. She is AMAZING and can literally do anything!