If you’re at all interested in wedding invitation design, no doubt you’ve heard of the super-talented artist Laura Hooper of Laura Hooper Calligraphy! Laura’s whimsical calligraphy, illustrations and invitation designs are one-of-a-kind and the personalized maps, wedding favors, tote bags and other creaitve items she creates for her clients have set trends for years now in the wedding world.
We’re proud to work with Laura as a member of our Southern California Plan Your Wedding Hotlist, and we couldn’t be more happy for her as our friend as she approaches her very own wedding day! Laura and her fiance Jeremy recently had these engagement photos taken near Griffith Park in the Hollywood Hills by photographer Steve Steinhardt, and we LOVE seeing Laura’s own (absolutely fabulous) personal style shine through!
We asked Laura about planning a wedding as a wedding professional herself, and here’s her unique take on the experience…
“Were getting married in Kona, Hawaii and Beth Helmstetter is my event designer. We just had my engagement party over the weekend and she totally rocked it! For the wedding planning Beth gave me a little checklist and Ive basically been marking everything off as I go. Ive been slowly working on my invitations over the past several months and they should be done this week. Since Im pretty busy with my clients, I am relying heavily on my maid of honor, my sister Alyssa, to help me scope out ideas for accessories, groomsmens suits, and other planning details and Im trying not to sweat the small stuff. To make things easier, Im going with a palette or colors, rather than only 2, so that if anything (such as flowers, linens, etc.) is off by a shade or two it will not make a difference. My general preference with regard to my wedding, as well as my work, is that I prefer for things to go but not to match exactly. Its more interesting that way, in my opinion!
I dont feel stressed about the wedding day at all I guess thats a perk of being in the industry. I know all my vendors intimately since I work with them all the time, and I trust them 100%.”
Thank you Laura and Jeremy! We can’t wait to hear all about your big day!
Amber and Aaron are lovers of fashion and design so it’s no surprise to see that their Scottsdale, Arizona wedding at the ultra-cool Hotel Valley Ho had the perfect combination of modern style and a classic, timeless feel. It was crisp, clean, romantic and intimate – absolutely lovely!
The Goals: Working with a dream team of wedding professionals to bring this day to life, Amber and Aaron created a wedding that was all about their guests’ enjoyment and making the most of their unique location. The wedding planners at Outstanding Occasions saw to every detail, Idieh Design created wedding invitations that would inspire the colors and look for the rest of the day, Camelback Flowershop designed floral arrangements with lush and edgy pops of fuchsia and black, Chuck Wiley, head chef at the hotel’s Cafe ZuZu created a menu to-die-for, and photographer Kimberly Jarman captured the whole event in these absolutely gorgeous images. As a backdrop to all of that, the most important piece was the location. Amber’s family owns the Hotel Valley Ho, so having the wedding there was extremely meaningful for everyone. Amber and Aaron also love the fact that whenever they return to the hotel they can walk through the grounds and revisit their exact wedding location.
The Design: A color palette of black and white kept the wedding classic and timeless, while additions of fuchsia in the flowers and decor added a little “rock and roll” to the event’s atmosphere. The wedding ceremony was on the lawn in the main courtyard, and had a distinctive circular set-up. So modern and chic! For the wedding reception they moved inside to the ballroom which was decorated brilliantly in black, white and pink. A red velvet wedding cake with butter cream frosting from Julia Baker Confections was a delectable highlight of the evening, along with the custom made chocolate confections that Julia made as wedding favors. When we asked Amber what their wedding cake was like she simply replied, “Like HEAVEN!!!”
The Look: Amber wanted a clean and elegant bridal look with a little big of vintage charm and excitement thrown in, so she chose a stunning ballgown with a deconstructed skirt by Rosa Clara and accessorized it with a black sash, vintage jewelry and a dramatic full length veil. Amazing! Her bridesmaids wore fitted back cocktail dresses and the groom and groomsmen wore sleek black suits.
The Moments: Just before Amber and her father were about to walk down the aisle, they heard a commotion and realized that their flower girl, Amber’s little niece Lucy, couldn’t quite handle the pressure. She was sobbing her way to the altar where she proceeded to “chuck the ring pillow” – an unavoidable event that sometimes happens with little ones in weddings! But everyone took the moment in stride and Amber’s father looked at her and said “We can do anything together,” and off they went.
The reception was filled with moving speeches by Aaron’s two brothers and Amber’s older sister, and a romantic first dance to Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy. At the end of the night Amber and Aaron said goodbye to all their loved ones and had a sentimental ending to their celebration. “Driving away in our vintage car through those sparklers at my family’s hotel, off to my wedding night and then honeymoon in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was a lot to handle. I cried a good cry.”
Musician and bandleader Michael Benson is a well respected and much loved Seattle wedding pro, and we are honored to call him a Junebug member. We’ve worked with him at many weddings over the years, and it’s a guarantee that if The Michael Benson Band is playing at a reception, it will be a spectacular party with a packed dance floor from the beginning to the end! (We can tell you first hand that seeing the delighted looks on guests faces as Michael and his band mates transition seamlessly from Frank Sinatra to ACDC to Outcast never, ever gets old). We asked Michael about his experience as a band leader and what to look for when hiring live musicians for your wedding day, and here’s what he had to say…
Junebug: How long have you been a bandleader?
Michael: 43 years, counting my 6 years in junior high and high school.
Junebug: During that time, what songs have been the most enduring?
Michael: That varies by genre, and I think songs have to have at least a 10 year life to qualify as enduring. In the big band era there are the Sinatra favorites like The Way You Look Tonight and It Had To Be You. In the popular ballad era, Unchained Melody and At Last. In the rock anthem era, Dont Stop Believin and Livin On A Prayer. In the modern hip-hop era, Yeah! and Hey Ya.
Junebug: What music do you play to get a party of all ages on the dance floor?
Michael: People often mistakenly believe that an intense, up-beat song will get everyone up. Usually not thoughnot at first. That kind of tune often gets wasted on a very few early brave dancers. The best thing to do is a classic, slow, romantic ballad that gets everyone – especially the shy dancers – onto the floor. At Last by Etta James or You Send Me by Sam Cook always gets the job done. Then for an early, up-tempo floor packer, anthems like Do You Love Me from Dirty Dancing or You Shook Me All Night Long by ACDC are great for moving the energy up a notch. Then we just keep building the momentum, relentlessly!
Junebug: What do you think every couple should know about hiring a live band?
Michael: Initially, they should recognize that a quality live entertainment experience is the greatest, most memorable gift they could give to their wedding guests. Then they should know the bands long-term track record, and find out what industry professionals think of them. Ask for references from venue managers, wedding planners, photographers, and couples whove worked with them in the last month. See how full the bands calendar is, and if they do many or just a few weddings.
Most important is to understand how diverse the bands repertoire is, and how deep they can go into every style. If their specialty is swing and classics, how will they accommodate the younger audience for hip hop and rap? Or if they specialize in R&B and hip-hop, will that empty the room of the over-50 crowd? True diversity is the ability to slip in and out of any style in the blink of an eye, and be convincing in each one.
Finally, couples should note the quality of communication they receive. Are you talking through a middle person, or directly to the bandleader? If the bandleader responds promptly, answers questions clearly, and demonstrates he knows your musical objectives, thats an indication he wants to serve you well. Clunky communication means youre not a very high priority now, or worse on the wedding night.
Junebug: In your opinion, what makes a great wedding band?
Michael: A great wedding band ensures that the clients interests and needs are met above their own. They ll work graciously with the families, venue staff, and all persons involved on-site at the wedding to make it succeed smoothly. They will provide appropriate music for easy cocktail and dinner-hour conversation. They can make anyone dance, and keep the floor packed by playing current hits for 20-somethings all the way to 80-somethings, and they ll be authentic in every style they play. Theyll play long sets, take few breaks, play special requests and learn new songs especially for the couple. They ll have custom break music on CDs or iPods ready to play so the music never stops and they’ll provide classy MC work for all announcements.
A truly great wedding band will create the most amazing dinner and dance party of a lifetime!
Junebug: What songs do you think work best for the father/daughter and mother/son dances?
Michael: There are sooo many, in all different tempos and styles! For the father/daughter dance, I Loved Her First by Heartland and My Girl by The Temptations both work well. For the mother/son dance, In My Life by the Beatles and How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by Marvin Gaye are great choices.
Junebug: Of all the weddings you’ve ever attended which ones stand out the most for you and why?
Michael: Tough question, because so many do, but one in particular was at The Golf Club at Newcastle in August 07. There was a unique and magical blend of cultures – Chinese, Hawaiian and Jewish, all of which were honored with traditional music, clothing, and ceremonial performance. I had the opportunity to sing their first dance in native Hawaiian, as well the horah medley in Hebrew. The joy of this rare cultural combination was highlighted by over-the-top dancing energy, and capped with a gorgeous summer sunset.
Another unforgettable night was at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in 02. It was a party that just wouldnt die. We set a record that night for 7.5 hour performance, starting with cocktails and dinner, and ending with the last dance at 2:30am. The family exercised their overtime option with us twice once at 12:30am and again at 1:30am. Clearly the fun that night was just too good let go of!
Junebug: How much space does your band need to set-up and how big should the dance floor be for a wedding of 100?
Michael: Our band footprint is 18 x 10 . The minimum dance floor for 100 guests should be 16 x16 . But 20 x16 is more ideal.
Junebug: What’s one great tip for a successful reception that you would like to share with our readers?
Michael: Try to keep all guests within one room to create a feeling of togetherness. Have the bar in the same room as the dancing, otherwise the crowd will fracture and party momentum will suffer as people wait at the bar for drinks and miss out on great dance songs.
Thank you Michael! To learn more about the amazing Michael Benson Band, be sure to visit their website, and to plan a Seattle or Southern California wedding of your own, don’t miss the trusted recommendations in our Plan Your Wedding Hotlist!
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