WEDDING BLOG

Giveaway! Win a Honeymoon in French Polynesia!

September 30, 2013 | editorial team

Big news, dear Junebug readers! To celebrate the launch of our brand new website and fresh makeover, we’re giving you an opportunity to win a dream honeymoon in French Polynesia! For anyone who agrees that honeymoon perfection should include pearly white sand beaches, and plenty of romance and relaxation in a secluded over-water bungalow, you’re in luck – because we’re giving away a tropical getaway for two to the Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa and the Bora Bora Pearl Resort & Spa!

To enter to win your five nights in paradise, including two at the Moorea Pearl and three at the Bora Bora Pearl (who are both offering over-water bungalow rooms to our winner), simply visit our entry page at http://junebugweddings.com/wedding-blog/what-junebug-loves/french-polynesia-honeymoon-giveaway-entry-page, and fill out our short wedding planning survey before the end of the day November 1st, 2013. Note: the winner must redeem their stay by May 31, 2014. (But really, why wait?!)

Read on to learn more about each of these world-class French Polynesian wedding and honeymoon destinations, and don’t forget to Enter to Win!

Just minutes away from Tahiti but a world away from all the crowds, the Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa is a picturesque hideaway with comfortable, luxurious accommodations and breathtaking backdrops you’ll never forget. Mountain views, the bluest waters imaginable, pristine lagoons, a unique coral nursery and plenty of sunshine await at this enchanting tropical resort.

Highly ranked and well respected as one of the most spectacular resorts on earth, the Bora Bora Pearl Resort & Spa is simply heaven on earth. When you stay in one of the their breathtaking overwater bungalows, you have no need to leave your room when the most incredible views, turquoise waters and world-class snorkeling are right at your fingertips. Should you decide to venture out and about, the resort’s endless activities and amenities are more than enough to keep you busy.

So don’t wait! Read our Official Rules, and enter to win this once-in-a-lifetime getaway today!

Indian and Mexican Santa Monica Wedding by Exquisite Events – Nancy and Darshan

September 27, 2013 | Junebug Weddings

gold ivory purple

Nancy and Darshan’s extraordinary Santa Monica wedding was planned by Nikki and Madiha Khan of Exquisite Events, and will simply make you swoon! Both the bride’s Mexican heritage and the groom’s Indian heritage were celebrated beautifully, and it was all expertly captured by Southern California wedding photographers Lin & Jirsa. Enjoy!

The Couple: Nancy and Darshan

The Wedding: 10.12.12 – Bel Air Bay Club, Santa Monica, California

The Goals: We wanted to have a welcoming, warm environment, give our family and guests comfort and enjoyment as well as having our ideas or thoughts of our wedding play out in a beautiful location.

The Process: Our planning experience was great because we had the help of many influential vendors with experience. We picked the location by picking a place near to our home, which has beautiful ocean views. The design process came from picking our favorite colors and adding some romance to the design. The main dinner room was transformed with lighting and drapery to fit the look we were trying to achieve.

The Design: We wanted a warm, welcoming environment full of romance and love. We had many deep colors with accents of gold and crystals. It all went well and enhanced our attire as well. The stage (mandap) where our ceremony was very unique and beautiful! There were many people involved in getting the mandap and the lawn as beautiful as it was.

The Moments: It was a magical day. One of the best decisions was to add the Shehnai player, so we could have live music during the ceremony. Having our DJ translate the ceremony to English was important so that everyone understood the ceremony. Having food and champagne in our room between the ceremony and reception, so we actually got to eat! Also, having some traditional Indian snacks during the Bharrat, so that the guests had some traditional food during an important event of the marriage ceremony.

The Advice: Start planning early, so that you can compare prices. There are many, many vendors to chose from but it takes so much time going through and meeting them all, and voicing your desires. Also, get your marriage license at least one month before your wedding; we ended up getting ours the day before our wedding! I think it’d be a nice thing to do to mark your one-month count down to the big day.

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Lin & Jirsa
Event Planner: Nikki and Madiha Khan of Exquisite Events
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Bel Air Bay Club
Videographer/Film Maker: Lin & Jirsa
Catering: Bel Air Bay Club
Florist: The Hidden Garden Floral Design
Cake: Rosebud Cakes
Wedding Dress: Dream Collections
Hair and Makeup: Ziba Beauty
DJ: Kumba Entertainment
Live Music: Roger Lipson (Shehnai player during ceremony), Kumba Entertainment (Dhol players during Bharrat), Rossi Music (string quartet during cocktail hour), Zero Hour from Rozzi Music (reception)
Dance Performers: NDM Bollywood Dance Productions and Grandeza Mexican Folk Ballet Company
Rentals: Revelry Event Designers
Elephant Rental: Have Trunk Will Travel
Horse and Carriage Rental: Enchanted Carriages

Thank you Nancy and Darshan for sharing your incredible wedding with us!

Looking to plan your wedding in Southern California? Check out our wedding planning Hotlist for Los Angeles!

A Peek Inside the Fall Issue of Martha Stewart Weddings!

September 26, 2013 | editorial team

champagne gold ivory light pink

We’ve got a fun collaboration for you today dear readers – a peek inside the fall issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine! Because really, what wedding loving woman doesn’t go weak in the knees for even a little bit of Martha Stewart style?

Fashion designer Erin Fetherston and rock star Gabe Saporta were married at the St. Nicholas Abbey in Barbados and were the cover models for Martha’s beautiful fall Weddings issue. Their wedding was, as you’d imagine being a Martha Stewart affair, simply divine. They chose the prettiest pastel color palette for the fashion and decor, and pulled inspiration for the whole celebration from old storybooks and fairytales. We have a few of their lovely images here for you, and you can see much more at www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com as well as in the pages of the magazine!