Lucky!

This has been an amazing year for MAP Events and we feel particularly lucky to have had the opportunities we have had this year. We will be sharing the photos as we get them.
This past April, I felt very fortunate to have had a wedding on a stunning property, with a sophisticated couple, agreeable weather, amazing vendors, and perfect timing.
I met the stylish Bettina and followed her up Sage Canyon Rd to her then fiance’s property in St Helena. I must admit, I silently said to myself…”This is going to be tricky!” She wanted an April wedding, on a hillside and slanted cement road outside a beautiful stone wine cave with an amazing view of their vineyard and Lake  Hennessey. . .   and she didn’t like the looks of tents! I promptly called Classic Party Rents for a wood-framed, 3-sided, clear top tent, and prepared the property manager (with his skeptical raised eyebrows) for “Road Closure” and days of property disturbance!
Luckily, the next door neighbors are the Chappellets who offered their beautifully manicured Meadow for the ceremony. I crossed my fingers for good mid-April weather!
Luckily, Bettina is artistically inclined and got very involved in the design aspects with amazing engraved invitations and menus cards (art pieces themselves). Michele Papineau put her amazing calligraphy touches on top.
Luckily, we worked with Radeff Design Studios to create a classic, yet soft, environment with flowers, furniture, and drape
Luckily, Durell Coleman was available and flew up with his band to light up the dance floor with R&B tunes
Luckily, Paula Le Duc exists as a catering company and Sound on Stage exists as a sound company! “Perfect IS just fine!”
Luckily, all the guests arrived promptly on shuttles for ceremony and cocktails in the Meadow and just as the weather dropped below 70, it was time to head for the winery, a short wine tour, and second cocktail in the wine cave before entering the dinner tent!
Luckily, it didn’t rain as was forecast earlier in the week and we could keep the side of the tent open to the vineyard –with glowing up-light in the vineyards below.
Luckily, the Bryant Family wine doesn’t suck – ha!

Luckily, Meg Smith shot the wedding and we have these great photos to remind and inspire…

Beautiful San Francisco

Although they are rare, a couple times a year we here in San Francisco enjoy a spectacular spring weekend.  It seems like the whole city comes alive as San Franciscans venture from their apartments and revel in their amazing city.  As we are looking forward to a great weather forecast for this weekend I am reminded of a wedding that hit the jackpot in April with another one of those golden San Francisco weekends.  Although the Bride now lives oversees she always held a place in her heart for San Francisco – and it looks like for her loyalty the weather gods blessed her with a perfect San Francisco Day. Hope you enjoy a sneak peak of some amazing pictures from the lovely and talented Liz Banfield.

April Weddings !!!

We were thrilled to kick off our 2009 wedding season with four great weddings in April.  There are so many great reasons to pick a wedding date in April – and we though we would make a quick list for those of you who are thinking spring!

• Competition : Fewer people are getting married in April means fewer roadblocks in selecting bands, photographers and in-demand vendors.  In April you have a better chance of getting your first choice vendor (sometimes at off-season prices)
• Avoiding Staff Burnout : Come November some of your vendors may feel like a truck has run over them and backed up a couple of times. . .  and that can be the same for every person working on your wedding – from the floral crew to the waiters that are serving your guests their dinner.  In April you are likely to be one of their first weddings for the season after they  have had the winter to rest, recharge, gather new inspiration and reinvent themselves anew!  
• Flower availability:  Any florist will tell you that they LOVE April weddings because of the variety and quality of flowers available at the mart.  Local varieties of floral favorites are more available as well – which can save you money rather then having your florist procuring expensive imports.

Check out some photos from the amazing Michelle Walker from Jennie’s first wedding of the season at St. Ignatius Church & the Olympic Club.  Check out the lush and bold flowers by Mandy Scott – some which are only available in the spring.

Laura & Scott’s Wedding

I stumbled across some photos on Michelle Pattee’s blog – and some great photos from an event Melissa coordinated last year at the gorgeous Beaulieu Gardens in Napa. Besides being a beautiful event – it was a rocking party.  Below is one of my favorite picture from the day – I was glad to see that the event decor actually came in handy for this wedding guest. . .

You can find more pictures and some descriptions about the event here :

http://www.mavenmichelle.com/2009/01/laura-todd-and-scott-androns-wedding-at.html

Megan & Steve’s Wedding – Martha Stewart Weddings Spring 2009

Not that we aren’t usually excited when we get the newest edition of Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine in the mail. . . . . but we were EXTRA excited to get the Spring edition last week, and to find that Megan & Steve’s amazing wedding, shot by Meg Smith, is featured in the magazine. If you haven’t seen it already – check it out! We feel honored to be a part of this great publication. For more photos from Meg & Steve’s chic wedding scroll down in this Blog to the January 14th entry.

A Colorful Day at Meadowood

Nestled amongst the hills and trees of St. Helena, just off Silverado Trail, is the Meadowood Resort.  For the past 45 years it has been one of the top destinations in the wine country.  Many VIPs both foreign and domestic have stayed at Meadowood.  Oprah stays here! They are known for their gracious hospitality and private club like atmosphere.  Being there is almost like being tucked away in a golf and tennis club back east – but with world class wineries just a windy road away.

Meadowood is also known for it exceptional cuisine, and great selection of wines.  Meadowood’s restaurant (appropriately named The Restaurant at Meadowood) boasts two michellin stars – so they take food seriously!!  Plus, the staff is outstanding.

Over the years, Meadowood has become one of MAP Events favorite Napa Valley venues. Medium to Large wedding occur on the Vinters Lawn, which we used in many different layouts to accommodate ceremonies, cocktails and dinners.  Although it is on hotel property, the Vinters Lawn is secluded from the rest of the guest cottages and feels private and secluded.

Dancing always happens indoors to comply with the strict 10PM noise ordinances in Napa – Meadowood will let you go until 11:00 PM.

The Vintners lawn is so versatile – a blank canvas – allowing for much creativity in lighting, linens, colors, and unique design.  As an example of bright, rich colors desired by our “artistic & dynamic” bride, here are some photos from the talented Anna Kruperberg

Annadel Estate Winery

Sometimes when I am hearing a couple explain the vision for their wedding day, I immediately get a sense of their personalities.  This was the case with Maggie & Will, and every step of the way it was a joy to see them realize their vision. They really had fun with their wedding planning, and kept the focus on food, family and treating their guests to a fun and casual day.  And there was no other better place then Annadel Estate Winery for such an event.  

Annadel is one of those stunningly rustic venues that seemed to have jumped straight  out of a magazine. Located in the heart of Sonoma County’s Valley of the Moon, it is the type of secluded private property you might never find out about unless you were “in the know”.  Occupying 40 acres of vineyards, heirloom rose fields and woodlands, it was originally built in 1880.  This venue is booked through Paula Le Duc Fine Catering (www.paulaleduc.com) – and this is what they have to say about it :

” The center of Annadel’s event space is the courtyard surrounded by rough stone walls several feet thick and over twelve feet hight.  Roses, grapevines and other flowers cover the walls to make a lush and romantic setting for a wedding ceremony or the perfect place to dance the night away . . .  Beautifully manicures lawns stretch to the edge of acres of garden roses that scent the al fresco dining area.  The property also features a rustic barn which may be incorporated as part of your event”. 

But don’t take their word for it – look at the amazing way that Meg Smith (www.megsmith.com) captured the sweetness and fun that was Maggie & Will’s wedding.  They used the open air ruins for their ceremony, then while guests dinned on the lawn that they covered with a Zephyr tent, the crackerjack team at PLD swapped the space and turned it into an amazing after-dinner lounge, complete with a variety of desserts and an espresso bar.

 

Cal Party – Go Bears!!

This December the most winning-est coach in history of collegiate Crew retired from UC Berkeley- and MAP was brought on board to throw him a party. We took over the T.Gary Rogers Cal Crew boathouse by adding a clear-topped reception tent that opened up to the estuary. Waterlily Pond accommodated by adding a huge round pond in the center of the tent filled with flower sculpture and hand-made floating crew shells. We converted their 2nd floor workout room (normally filled with rowing machines) into a dinning room flush with flat screens depicting the years of competitive Cal rowing victories. It was a special evening filled with many generations of Yellow & Gold pride, and surprises for the guest of honor – including a performance from the Cal Marching Band.  Here a couple of pictures of the event from Michelle Pattee.

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Video Link

We were pleased to find out today that one of the new videos on Razor Byrne Productions website is a wedding Melissa coordinated last November at Auberge Du Soleil. Take a look!

http://www.rbyrneproductions.com/candles.html

mmmmm cake. . .

Perhaps it is the sound of a million New Years resolutions dying after the Superbowl dip buffets, or maybe just that time of the year. .  but I have cake on my mind.  Anybody whose planned a wedding knows it isn’t always easy, but no other task is sweeter then picking out a wedding cake.  Although we love mixing it up with dessert buffets, cupcake towers or anything else we can dream up, there is no denying that a layered cake is the ultimate wedding icon.  I thought I would share some photos of wedding cakes from past weddings and the ways this tradition has been incorporated into couples unique wedding designs.  I am loving looking at the different trends over the years, and I can’t wait to see what our amazing cake designers create in 2009!

Photo Credit Top to Bottom, from Left to Right:   1. Elizabeth Fall, Zoom Photography  2. Zoom Photography, Sherman Chu 3. Zoom Photography, Orange Photography, Nick Brown 4. Michelle Pattee, Nick Brown, Gertrude & Mabel 5. Elizabeth Messina, Christian Oth, Elizabeth Messina 6. Zoom, Michelle Pattee