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...