Events | Bouquets to Art

Bouquets to Art (3/17/09 - 3/21/09) came and went at the De Young Museum, just like how it was for me when I attended this show because of so little time I had there. Getting in only 15 minutes before Paula Pryke's lecture at 1:30PM, the demonstration lasted a good 2 hours, and a total eye-opener for me because a lot of questions I had with some of her techniques were openly revealed to me...at last!

Lingering after to further analyze all the mechanics just presented, then realizing I had only one and a half hour to visit the rest of the museum - to see all the art-inspired floral designs of Bouquets to Art, Yves Saint Laurent, and Andy Warhol - I finally had to come to terms that I was not going to be able to make it to Andy Warhol. I had to stay on course to be able to go through at least all the flowers and YSL (since they are ending in April).

Even with that limitation, I still had to sadly breeze by all the floral arts quickly so that I made sure I caught full glimpses of all of YSL's amazing pieces, finally in person! The question I have is if floral designers get their inspiration from fashion, where do fashion designers get their inspiration?

Here are some of Paula's signature pieces and a picture with Paula herself. I couldn't resist getting a "hot-off-the-press" copy of her latest book, "Simply Pink" and of course a picture together and an autograph too! (I LOVE her autograph, literally, see top left picture)

Wente Vineyards, Livermore e-postcards!

A few weeks back, I blogged about my sales presentation at Wente Vineyards. Needless to say, the meeting went well, that quickly following, I had my graphics guy rush to put together a "venue postcard" for all the sales managers to send to their clients. It's in a similar format as the one we had designed for our San Francisco City Hall ad, (so that it's easily recognizable as one of our marketing campaigns), but the pictures were swapped out and wording added, so that this new postcard specifically featured the florals we had done at Wente Vineyards.

For now, this new postcard is in pdf format only. I am embracing the fact that Wente and myself don't feel the need to send out traditional packets of information/postcards. Packets mailed out just means wasted paper, wasted time and wasted postage, especially when the same information can be sent faster, with less waste and probably better received via email/internet anyway. GO GREEN!

Photographer Martina Konietzny Photography

Chung Li Photography Gallery Opening!

Chung Li, my awesomest photographer, now great friends. We've been through so much and it's great to see he's finally moved to a new place - a chic and quaint studio in Belmont. The aesthetic is so pleasing, sharp and clean, just like his work, a great new place for meeting his clients. I bet all brides walking in will be "love IT at first sight", because it was for me!

The Gallery Opening last Friday night was fun and casual, just like Chung himself. Everyone enjoyed themselves of great food (especially me! - fat-sized, bottomless Japanese rolls!), meeting new friends (especially a fellow Floral Designer who, the first thing she says is "I LOVE your work", as we're first meeting) and looking for the first time at the published albums of weddings that Chung and I did together. What pictures would be better to post than ones from Chung Li himself:

SJMA Council of 100 Annual Dinner

Didn't get a chance to blog about an event we did last last week on 3/6/09. It was a sponsorship event that we gladly did for the San Jose Museum of Art's Council of 100 Annual Dinner. The night was themed around the guest speaker, Tony Oursler - an internationally reknowned video artist - and his piece, Slip, 2003. Fiberglass sculpture, which is currently displayed at SJMA. Here is a picture of the piece taken from SJMA's website, but it's definitely something you have to see in person to appreciate...because it's alive and it talks!

So of course we drew our inspiration from such a unique piece and artist. Worked closely with the Director of Individual Giving and one of the committee members, brainstorming and going to town with picking out very interesting textural materials to use. In the end, we decided to be minimal and use succulents, thistle, kale, an orb, waterproof lights and of course gels! That is our final product for each the centerpieces and the registration table.

Classic Party Rentals Open House

I was so excited about the tablescape I created for Classic Party Rental's Open House this morning that I wanted to just quickly post up some pictures before the party tonight:











Hope to see you at the party tonight!
Classic Party Rentals Open House
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Time: 5:30PM - 8:30PM
Place: 1635 "A" Rollins Road, Burlingame, CA 94010

Will post more after the event!

Post update:
When I got there, of course I was so excited to show my colleagues my table, but when I got to where my table was, it was NOT THERE! I thought, "was it THAT bad they had to take it away?" So I kept walking around, pretending to be looking at all the other wonderful tablescapes from the other Florists, while secretly looking for MY TABLE of course! But soon enough (TG!), I found it! It was actually at an even better location! It was "center-staged" in the "silver room" with a silver-charcoal backdrop, which went even better with my tablescape, especially since it was next to the oh-so yummy tray of SLIDERS, provided by Hugh Groman Catering! (Oh...SO GOOD! I can still taste it in my mouth!)

The rest of the night was just plain FUN! Especially hanging out with my CPR Gwen-e-GwenGwen! We toured, ate and drank! The best part was everytime she introduced me to a fellow CPR, they all said they loved my piece the best (but hush! hush!).

These wonderful guys from Precision Parking 650-620-0095 (the valet parking sponsors for the night) graciously offered to help me take down my display and carry the boxes to my car! Gets my car AND helps with my things? What more could I ask for?

Here are pictures (SO FAST!) from Orange Photography, the sponsoring photographer for the night!

To view the event slideshow with a "kickin soundtrack", click http://view.orangephotography.com/2009/events/classicopenhouse/
To view complete gallery of pictures from the night, click http://www.orangephotography.com/public/refer.jsp?id=3571&pwd=classic

Recommended Vendor of Wente Vineyard!

With 125 years of history and still family-owned, Wente Vineyards has the ultimate wine country setting for weddings and events...AND it's only in Livermore!

In the last 2 years, we've done a few weddings in their beautiful outdoor terrace lawn. Because we've kept in touch with their ultra-nice sales manager during this time, I've recently been invited to meet their other 4 sales managers in the office to do a sales presentation. Bringing them (including the sales assistants and director) each a little squared shaped vase arrangement - inside leaf-wrapped, of green spider mums, midnight-blue thistle with just a touch of eucalyptus - each laid in a 3X3 squared formation. The whole could be used for a centerpiece but then taken individually as favors - serving double duty in this day and age of reduce, reuse and recyle - this idea was easily well-received by all the managers for going-green! LOVE IT!









(not pictured very good here, but you get the idea!)

Below are some weddings we've done at Wente, which are also clips from our new print portfolio (that we've slaved over to finish within a one-month deadline for THIS meeting and other marketing events in the last few weeks, well-worth it because we are now one of their recommended vendors!):





Photographers
Martina Konietzny Photography (top)
Todd Rafalovich (bottom)

Introducing Oceano Hotel & Spa

I've recently heard so much about Oceano that when I ran into their booth at the Hillsdale Bridal & Expo Faire, I had to introduce myself and learn more about this most-talked about, newest wedding venue in Half Moon Bay! After chatting up a bit, the wedding and event planner graciously invited me to their wedding event the following Sunday to view their venue first-hand.
The "Wedding Event/Fashion Show" was for brides, grooms and families to enjoy a fun and informative day at Oceano while viewing their different event spaces. The ballroom was filled with event professionals displaying their services and a selective panel of vendors spoke about "Unlock(ing) the Secrets to a Successful Wedding" in the Atrium. The room that I fell in love with is The Galleria, (above left), whose original intent was not for weddings, but a street that lined the hotel's boutique shops. But after one bride's request to have a wedding in this indoor (but with an outdoor feel because of the skylight roof), the rest is history!

Some vendors I met are:
Studio Cake - love her business philosophy as well as her complete packaging, from the dainty boxes that held her sample cakes to her logo and website. The cake pictures on her website are as divine as they are in person! You have to check it out at: http://www.studiocake.com/. Here are some of my favorites (below):

That Takes the Cake - love her friendly personality and enthusiasm, plus she's on Union Street Wedding Ring! Located in a high-end location, her cupcakes are surprisingly quite affordable! Cutest red velvets (below):

Cakework - wealth of experience, continued innovation, inspired from just about anything! She is the inventor of those famous and flawless stripes you see on cakes. When asked, she wouldn't reveal her secret! =P Hates fondant and uses only white chocolate. The most renowned stripes (below):