Alicia and David chose the beautiful Biltmore Hotel for their destination wedding. Some of the guests were local but for the majority of them, they had to travel across the world in order to join the bride and groom on such a special day. Alicia’s Mom, Catalina lives in South Florida and she was able to help Alicia alot in her planning. The wedding was very colorful and really focused on what Alicia loves, Italian, garden elegance. Sometimes it is very difficult to put together the inspirations that the bride has for her wedding but with a little bit of creativity, we can accomplish anything. Typically Italian means tuscan and Garden translates to English Garden. As a bride, it is so important to convey your ideas, likes, dislikes, etc to your design team as we hold the key to what the wedding will end up looking like. Alicia knew exactly what she wanted and was very eloquent in telling us everything about what she loved and how she pictures her wedding. Join me as I walk you through Alicia and David’s wedding day.

Thank you very very very much to Rodrigo Varela for such great images! Please click HERE and check out his work!

Rodrigo caught Alicia chatting with one of her bridesmaids right before she got dressed. I love this picture as it is says so much about the reality of the wedding day. Everyone is soooo excited about the wedding the bride’s phone typically is ringing all day long. Thankfully, it is always with good wishes for her day and a lot of “I can’t wait to see you later”. Kathryn Parrish designed her bouquet. I am a huge fan of flowers in any color however when working with bright color palettes you have to be sure that is done perfectly and this is one of those examples. It has to be one of my favorite bouquets of 2010. Genius Kate! <3

Meet David, the groom and his groomsmen. Right after the “first glance” is a great time to take pictures with your bridal party. Many times, the available light is not good for pictures after a ceremony at sunset. You can get the best of both worlds by doing it before the ceremony. Not to mention you cut your “post wedding pictures” list at least half if not knock it out all before the wedding. It allows you to enjoy your cocktail hour and say hello for the few hundred guests that have made it a long way to be with you on your wedding day.

Isn’t she lovely? Alicia is so sweet! She was all smiles- always! Love it!  Although Alicia was a classic bride- she decided on a slim A-ine lace gown, wore her hair in a simple bun, and her pearl jewelry was simple and delicate, her colorful bouquet really pulled her look together. So many brides are afraid of color with their bouquets, but it can be such an amazing enhancement to your overall look. I would always advise our clients that their bouquet is not only a reflection of the wedding but an accessory to your overall look.

Alicia and David’s first look, so cute and so emotional! This has to be one of my favorite moments in the day. You know that these two have been envisioning this for many months, sometimes, even years and it finally gets to be the time! The time where they see each other for the first time on what will be the most important day in their lives. I always try to get a great peak at their special moment, many times I find myself wiping off a tear or two, but it hits a soft side in everyone!

If you are considering seeing your bride or groom before the wedding ceremony, I would strongly suggest it. So many brides ask me if it “takes away the moment when your walking down the aisle and your groom sees you for the first time”. Many photographers like Rodrigo Varela spend a lot of time setting up this moment to make it as special as if he was seeing you for the first time walking down the aisle. It definitely comes down to personal preference but some of the greatest pictures have ever seen are from the first glance.

The Ceremony! WOW!!!!!!! This canopy was even more breathtaking in person.

Pink and Purple phalaenopsis orchids and roses, antique green and ivory hydrangeas, curly willow, and green foliage made of this amazing canopy inspired by Alicia’s love of the whispie garden motif. Candles in mason jars hung from the inside of the structure. Although we started when there was still sunlight, candles can still add the essence of romance down the aisle. We strategically time the ceremony to start in the daylight but end in dusk. It makes for a great experience for your guests as they sit and watch you marry your soulmate.

Mr. and Mrs. Castro!  … and let the party begin ….

As you can see Alicia and David’s colors are slate grey, hot pink, purple, plum, and green. The giant floral arrangement sat on a pewter candelabra. Mini lamp shades sat at the base of the table to add candlelight to the table scape. More and more we are trying to add candle light to tables without using the usual floating candle in a cylinder. The linen we chose was a dark pewter linen that would match perfectly with the shades of purple on the table. A glass silver beaded charger was placed a every seat. The napkin was folded in a way to form a pocket in the size of the menu. Catalina purchased small angel ornaments in italy when she was last there. She brought them back and wanted to use them somewhere in the tables. We put them on each napkin so that it would add another detail to the cymbidium orchid that adorned each plate.

Advice: We always request the catering captains to keep the chargers on the tables thru dessert (unless we are using rectablge or sqaure plates. It’s the best way to make the most of the money spent of this accessory.

Mixing these colors in the flowers made for a great centerpiece to reflect the whispie garden feel. Monochromatic flowers are much more modern, so mixing the flowers and the colors combined with the loose mechanics of the arrangement makes this the perfect look for the wedding.

As another sweet and sentimental detail, tent cards were placed on the table that read: “In gratitude for our blessing we have made a donation to the building fund of the Mano Amiga School is Zipaquira, Columbia. It was towards this very special school that Alicia’s late grandmother, Adiela Bernate de Uribe, devoted her efforts for many years.” Donations to charities in lue of favors is a growing trend. It’s a great way to show how thankful you are for the many blessings you have received. It is also a great way to inform your guests about your favorite charity.

Some of the details of the wedding. An after dinner lounge was placed on the Southwest Terrace of the Alhmabra Ballroom.

The cake was in line with our theme and the bride surprised her groom with a grooms cake to look like a box of cigars. Todo Dulces did a great job in replicating an actual box Alicia provided them with.

Catalina surprised her daughter and new son with mariachi’s. In their family, there is No special event that lacks this musical entertainment. They played for about 20 minutes and the guests then danced the night away!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for taking the journey thru the many details of Alicia and David’s Wedding, A special thank you goes to first and foremost, my amazing team, I love you girls! ,The Biltmore Hotel, Dave Clavette, Bruce Barbaree and Dbeorah Howard, Rodrigo Varela, Kathryn Parrish and the Parrish Design Team, DJ Ubi Merrero, Alan Andai from AA Musicians, Todo Dulces, and all of the other vendors and people who came together to make this wedding flawless.

Talk about a wedding with true style and unique elements! It was something straight out of “Style Me Pretty“. Stephanie and Josh’s wedding was inspired by the ornate and whispie designs of MacKenzie Childs. The black and white checkered pattern, burnt ivories, funky patterns, and unique elements (which is a reflection of each design she creates) was the perfect style combination for this wedding.  MacKenzie Childs has the most amazing way of designing everything from furniture to china making each piece a one of a kind hand made collectible. Stephanie’s Mom, Chris is a phenomenal interior designer with a great love for MacKenzie Childs; Working along side her was such a great experience for me. Welcome to a wedding that we will ALL never forget. From our 5-course wine pairing menu consisted of 45 plates per person and hand picked wines from all over the world to our experience through the. I hope you enjoy the blog as I walk you threw this one of kind wedding experience.

Amy Hill, thank you so very much for all of these great images! As always it was a great pleasure working along side with you on this wedding. Please visit her website by clicking HERE.

Meet Stephanie and Josh! They are the cutest! Stephanie is smiling next her flower girl which was 6 going on 36 years old. She was such a little funny adult. The flower girl came up to me in the middle of the getting ready and said, “Jackie, I don’t think I want a big wedding. I want to marry a wealthy business man who will not want a big wedding.”  How do you not laugh at that? Josh is sitting with their two dogs who were part of the getting ready process- they hung out with the boys in the guest house. =) The bridesmaids and moms got ready in the main house – in the master bedroom which by the way had the cutest Christmas tree by the bed! Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. =)

Stephanie’s mom is a true design genius! Her house is beyond amazing. He design style is amazing and so unique! It seriously belongs in a magazine. We didn’t have to do much to the home, but Chris decked it out for the holidays as she always does. Valet greeted the guests at the front gate of the home and the ceremony was slated to take place just a few feet away. All of the guests were escorted to the family room as it poured down rain about 10 minutes before we were about to start. The craziest thing is that every weather channel and website said it was going to be a beautiful day and a clear evening. A beautiful day it was however the evening – not so much! I remember standing outside getting ready for the processional when I heard “it’s raining” through my ear phones. The first thing I thought to myself was “get upstairs and calm the bride and her mom down”. I ran upstairs to keep the gang calm and they were having a blast- laughing the rain away! It was great!

We moved the guests back out to the ceremony once the rain had stopped (and we had cleaned off the chairs) but with out luck, it started raining again. This happened about 4 times before we prepared to do the ceremony in the family room. As soon as we were about to start, the rain cleared, we took out a ton of umbrellas just in case we had another little surprise and we went on with the ceremony. The aisle runner was soaked but the bride laughed it off and did not let it get to her. My type of bride! As you can see Alisha and I were soaked and trying to make the best out of the situation. We were so happy we got the bride down the aisle. Now to our air-conditioned tent- Phew!

Giant flocked Christmas Trees were placed around the outside of the home and inside the tent. The largest of the trees was our place card tree. Chris found a small company that would be able to make these very unique place cards. Each one was one of a kind as a hand made clay piece was added to each place card for guests to keep and put on their Christmas tree.  The sounds of one of my favorite Singers Don Juceam and his Swing Orchestra from Tampa Florida played as the guests walked into the tent. All of the tables were dressed in black and white. The center pieces were tall iron bird cages with custom platforms for pillar candles. White and yellow flowers were placed at the base of the arrangements to finish off the table scape. The amount of stemware and flatware was impressive as we have a 5 course wine pairing menu. It was the most extensive menu I had ever seen! Each course had at least three small bites of different items all within the Italian flairs. Absolutely delisio-s0!

A Little Lady and the Tramp Moment that Amy Hill Captured. Below is a picture of a line up of one our courses about to be serve to the guests. Looks yummy huh? Any time you can get creative and unique- go for it! The menu is such a great way to make your wedding memorable. If your wedding is at a hotel or with a caterer, do not settle for something in a pre-set menu provided to you. Ask  to sit with the catering manager or the chef and explore your options in making the wedding more reflective of you and your fiance. The time you put into this will really pay off. Your guests will love how different the menu was and it will be yet another thing they keep talking about far after the wedding is over. This couple really enjoyed the various flavors of a great Italian menu so we put all of their favorite things in mini plates and served them throughout the evening. there were more than 45 plates per person! Wow! Talk about a lot of rentals. I was the lucky one who went through all of the racks of rentals to make sure it was all there. It took me more than 2 hours to go through it all.

Go G-A-T-O-R-S! Talk about Gator Fans! The parents of the bride go to every single Gators game home or away. Our wedding planning was revolved around their season schedule. At the wedding there were so many tuxedo shirts that had the Gators logo on the back of their shirts – how cute is that?  The guests partied the night away to the sounds of a great DJ but they were real party animals. We had such a great time watching them. The rain could not stop this wedding from bring an absolute blast! Im so happy I was able to be part of it. I would not have changed a thing! Well, a clear evening would have been a good bonus =)

Thank you very much to Chris, Stephanie, and Josh. It was so great working with you on your very special day. Amy Hill thank you again for the amazing pics! Don Juceam Florida’s Own Frank Sinatra is beyond amazing! He has the most amazing voice- you would think ood Ole rank was singing right infront of you. Flowers- Rick Interian and Avant Gardens. Absolutely awesome Ricki!  Rentals: Panache Classic Party Rentals and Over the Top. Individual Table Cakes from Mishas. Table Cake Plates from McCkenzie Childs.

Meet the Newlyweds, Mr, and Mrs. Tony and Janet Rivas! I have been so blessed to have the best clients, and here is yet another. It’s no secret I love love love the details, Janet does too so it was a match met in heaven. From the getting ready to the take home sweets, this bride made sure to add a unique aspect to each aspect of her wedding. Thank you very much to Alain Martinez for these great images. It was an awesome experience working along side with you on the day of the wedding. We knew it was going to be a special one, and that it was. Ray Roman from Ray Roman Films captured all of the magical moments of that day, I can’t wait to see the video!

Enjoy the pics and the details of this great wedding! Click HERE to see Alain’s Blog entry: Janet and Tony are Hitched!

The bride’s overall look is such a gigantic part of the wedding day. There are times when we spend more time on her dress, hair, make up, and accessories than on the timeline of the event. This was such an easy task for Janet as she has an impeccable sense of style. Her look from her head to her feet was perfectly chosen for the overall feel of this wedding. She looked gor-geeee-ous! Wow! Thank you very much to my DIVA Gloria Pelo and her team Focus on Brides by Gloria Pelo for a fantastic job!The bridesmaids dresses were chosen by Janet after searching and searching through couture magazines. She found the perfect dress that she knew her girls would love and that reflected her personal style of course =).

The ceremony was so romantic, it was held at the beautiful St. Theresa Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables. Shortly after the couple exchanged vows, more than 260 of their closest friends and family headed to the Epic Hotel in Brickell. A special thank you to Ivette Davalos for making my job so easy. It is so wonderful working along great catering managers. They allow us to really focus on the client and all of the details of the wedding.

I love when the bride and groom are not afraid of color. Janet and Tony’s theme as lush fall colors such as butter cream, espresso, mango, olive and pistachio green, yellow, and a hint of  deep red. Some may ask, how can you use so many colors within one event and still have it look elegant and classic? Easy! In the linens, use one solid color such as in this wedding,a butter creme table cloth was used to dress the table. Janet wanted the table to have more “pizzaz” so AB Cover Designers custom made this ruffle linen for her tables. It was gorgeous and it really did add that lsh factor Janet was looking for.

Using a linens with one color really balances all of the colors in the centerpiece and accents on the table.  In the centerpiece, we brought in her colors using colors the greens, mango orange, yellow, and the hint of red. Then, in your chairs, you can use mahogany as did Janet to bring that dark, romance to the ballroom. The linens had a small ribbon in espresso to tie in the color in the chairs. Charger plates are a really great way to make the table look complete. The glass chargers were a great option here as they correlated with the glass trumpet vases used in the centerpieces. Any other favors or extra decor on the table should match your overall color scheme in order to continue with the look of the table.

Janet’s Mom surprised the couple with this great ice sculpture that was the centerpiece of the table card table. Many times we re-use tables if they will be seen by the guests various times throughout the wedding. Not only is the place card table typically the first grande table scape the guests get to see, but it is a great way to re-use a table without spending the extra money on decor. Therefore, many times, the couple has a take home favor (typically edible) that we display on the pace card table if the guests pass this table on the way home. Mini cupcakes and sweets were placed on this table as a sweet something for guests to have as they left the wedding. So cute!

The cake is also a way to add texture and creative aspects to your wedding decor. Janet and Tony chose a simple color such as ivory for their cake however added floral appliqués to match her gown and a little bling just for some fun.

A special thank you  Janet and Tony who trusted their wedding in my hands. It was such a pleasure to have worked along side them in the months leading up to the wedding and specially on the day of the wedding. A Huge thank you  to all of the vendors involved in making this wedding such a success. My Team of course Jessie and Alisha for Jackie Ohh Events - I am so blessed to have you on my team, you’re the best! Alain Martinez Photography, Ray and Jessica Roman for Ray Roman Films, Gloria Pelo, Ivette Davalos and her staff at the Epic Hotel, Ana de Castro and AB Cover Designers, Tipica Tropical Band, Miami Ice Man, and Cake Designs by Eddas.

I absolutely love this couple! I have been working with them for over a year and a half on their wedding and I cannot wait until their Spring 2011 wedding. We wish Chris the best of luck in his season and this Sunday when he takes on the Miami Dolphins. GO TITANS !!!!!!

Martha Ramirez from UDS Photo just did the most incredible, unique engagement shoot with Linda and Chris! On the same day, Ray Roman from Ray Roman Films captured the perfect footage for their Save the Date DVD. Linda and Chris have the most amazing engagement story; one of the BEST stories I have heard yet! Chris planned every single detail of the engagement so much so that he hired a professional film crew to document it. Linda and Chris had never seen the footage from that magical day, until Ray Roman took them to a private theater to view it. We cannot wait to see the Save the Date DVD and the couple are so excited to send it to their wedding guests.

Let’s get H.O.T.! WoooW!!!!!!!!

Hello! It’s been a while since I have blogged. It’s bitter sweet; I have been very busy which is fantastic but I have put my brides first and updating my blog has been difficult. I am now back to my regular schedule so I am happy to saw Im catcing up on updating the blog so visit us often as I will be posting new weddings frequently. It’s with much excitement that I start back to blogging with this announcement: For the third consecutive year, I am once again a finalist for the Event Solutions 2011 Spotlight Award for Event Planner of the Year!  It has been such an honor to be amongst the best of the best planners in the industry and hopefully with YOUR help I will come home with the award this upcoming year.

On December 1st, the public voting starts and that is where YOU come in.  The expert panels have chosen the finalist and the public gets to vote for the winner. I will be posting the details and instructions on how to vote soon.

Thank you very much for visiting my blog and for your continued support. I am humbled by the overwhelming amount of emails and congrats I have already received since the news was made public.

Hugs,

Jackie Ohh…

I am so excited to be introducing this new feature to my blog. Decor Trends with Jackie Ohh… will reveal the most recent decor trends in the wedding and event industry.  A couple of weeks ago Avant Gardens, Parrish Designs, and Jackie Ohh… Events put together these designs to illustrate the hottest upcoming trends. Thank you to Bruce Barbaree and the Biltmore Hotel for allowing us to do our photoshoot. Enjoy!  WE hope we’ve inspired YOU.

Thank you to Martha, Janet, and Mayleen from UDS Photo for all of the time they took taking the beautiful pictures below. Thank you to Ray and Jessica Roman for Ray Roman Films for shooting the details and giving us a great reason to get this done after so many months of talking about it lol. Awesome work guys! =0)

Bright color combinations make a BOLD statement in the design and decor of your event. The modern color combo of black and white is a great palette to start with. There are endless “pop” colors you can use to make your design unique. Yellow is a huge trend in color this season. It can be paired with slate grey, lime green, fuchsia, orange, turquoise etc.. Rick Interian and his design team at Avant Gardens put together this amazing design, talk about setting a trend. He used odd shapes and various textures throughout the table to make the overall design all about the details!  All of the wire used in the design was hand-wired by one of their top designers; from the over-sized round structure to the napkin rings that can also be used as corsages, a true piece of art!! WoW WoW!!! Ricki, this is a true masterpiece and one of my favorites ever! Thank YOU.

Advice from Rick Interian: “Being in the business for 20 years, I find that every wedding is unique as each bride and groom.  Don’t be afraid to express who you are and make a statement on your special day! “

Location: Bruce’s Banyan Tree at Biltmore Hotel; Designer : Rick Interian and the Design Team at Avant Gardens; Linen Rentals: Leyani; and Furniture Rentals: Bubble Miami. Thank you all so much!

Another HOT trend this season is all about Nature. Many times, Less is truly more. “Going Green”  has been a growing trend in which couples opt to use natural elements and very little floral elements in their decor. Bringing the natural elements of earth to a grande table design is something that Kathryn Parrish for Parrish Designs mastered. It was so amazing to see Kathyrn and her Design Team putting each of these natural branches together to make this modern masterpiece. The mix between the drift wood, textured ceramic containers, butterflies, and flowers with the elaborate rosette linen is the perfect combination in making this design beautifully perfect. Thank YOU!

Advice from Kathryn Parrish: “This centerpiece is for the bride who wants an interesting, organic and whimsical look. Manzanita and willow braches are a common site to see at weddings, so these branches add uniqueness. In addition, the butterflies are an unexpected element of beauty and delicacy. Your guests are sure to be wowed.”

Location: Alhambra Ballroom at Biltmore Hotel; Designer : Kathryn Parrish and the Design Team at Parrish Designs; Linen and Chair Rentals: Nuage Designs. Thank you all so much!

A Note from Jackie Ohh… : You know they say, You are only as good as your team. Im the luckiest person in the world to be able to work with such great vendors. We rely on each other so much and it is not often that we take the time to thank them. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Cristy and Danny are the most adorable couple! They are truly made for each other and it shows just by the way you catch them looking at each other. Every step of the planning was so much fun. Cristy, Mom, and I would talk for endless hours about everything you can imagine. Cristy and I share a common gastro-disorder which brought us even closer. We taught each other a lot about things to eat, not to eat, and secrets in how to control it.  *Room Temp Champagne! =) * Cristy, Danny, my Hubby Carlos, and I went over for dinner recently. We laughed so much with fun memories of the wedding. As vendors we typically do not get to enjoy the wedding as much as the guests do but we had a blast just watching the couple, their families, and friends party like it was 1999. Cristy and Danny, you will ALWAYS be very special to me and I will forever remember the wedding night and every moment leading up to it. Love u!

The night before the wedding, Cristy, her mom, and her bridesmaids stayed in and had a slumber party. I have been in the business for a while and have had plenty of firsts, I had another one the day of this wedding. i walked into the her bridal suite and it was the first time I had ever seen the Bride and her bridesmaids munching on cookies cupckaes, brownies, and other sweets. There was not a piece of fruit in site lol. They lived it up and did it right. How Sweet it is to be So In Love =).

Mr. Danny Diaz Leyva and Mrs. Cristina Musibay Diaz

Thank you to Martha and Jesus Ramirez and christina Mendoza for UDS Photo for the fabulous pictures. The guys ROCK and I love love love you. For UDS’ post of Cristy and Danny’s wedding, please click HERE. Below are a couple of the amazing shots they got right after the ceremony.

The ceremony took place at The Church of Epiphany in the late afternoon. It was the perfect day for a wedding. Not too cold, not too hot, just perfect. After Monsignor performed the ceremony all of the guests headed out to the cocktail hour as the couple took after ceremony pictures with their bridal party and families.

Here is an overall view of the reception as it was set for dinner lighting. Any time we do color changes throughout the night, I make sure the photographers get great images of the room free of guests with the different colors we have chosen for the night.  UPLYTE did an outstanding job as always lighting the room. It was perfect; exactly what we wanted.

The ballroom consisted of round tables dressed in a crinkled white linen and complimented with a silver chiavari chair with a white crinkled fabric cushion. There were three different centerpieces in the room. The largest consisted of large manzanita branches with cluster of dendrobium orchids, hanging candles, and strands of crystals in an over-sized glass vase. The vase was surrounded by tons of candles. I remember my first memory of the morning of the wedding was walking towards the ballroom and hearing a power saw. I thought to myself “what is that noise”? lol It was the designers cutting the branches to fit perfectly into the vases. I love that personal touch =)

The second centerpiece was a trio of white hydrangea domes sitting on glass cylinders filled with silver branches. Silver wired branches and dendrobium orchids wrapped the cylinders to give it a unique look. The base of the table was complimented with floating candles. Glass beaded charger plates were at each place setting which brought together all of the glass that we used in the room.

The pink, dark blush color is the first color we used as the guests walked into the ballroom. The final centerpiece design was a grande candelabra design with a mix of white flowers to create an over-sized arrangement. This table was for the head table where the Bride, Groom, and their parents were seated for dinner.

Cristy and Danny had their own, private lovers lounge next to the dance floor. As they went through the night, they took some time here and there to lounge around. Always Flowers custom made these Mr and Mrs pillows for the lounge in white and silver to match the decor.

The tables were named after places they were planning on visiting during their honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand. The guest book was actual look books of the these countries. The guests signed throughout the pages of the books on their favorite pages.

They shared their first dance in a dark violet ballroom… So Romantic!

Christy’s youngest brother is a true prodigy!! He ha such an amazing talent. He sang a beautiful song for his sister and new brother. It was so emotional! The couple dance the night away and enjoyed mini donuts as a mid night snack in between. Yummy!

After Cristy changed into her “oh-so-fabulous” bridal sneakers, her and Danny cut their cake. It was so large, they needed to stand on chairs in order to cut it. It was so cute and the pics are absolutely gorgeous.

Here we are the fab Dream Team. From left to right: Jessica Roman for Ray Roman Films, Alicia Molina and I for Jackie Ohh…, Cristy and Danny, Martha Ramirez and Christina Mendoza for UDS Photo, Thee Ray Roman, and Jessica Rico for Jackie Ohh…. *Muah*

Cristy and Danny’s Winter Wedding was published in the Spring/Summer 2010 Issue of Enchanted Brides Magazine. A picture from their decor was also featured as the front page of their design and decor section.

Cristy and Danny, thank you for letting me into your lives. It was a match made in heaven on many accounts. Because of your wedding, we are now great friends and I would not have it any other way. You both are very special to me. I am so glad I was able to be a part of one of the most magical days of your lives. Thank you for trusting in me and my staff. It was truly a night to remember always and forever.  Hugs and Kisses. Love u guys!

As always, I’d like to take the time to Thank Everyone who was such an intricate part of putting this wedding together. I would not be able to do what  do without the greatest vendors working with me. To the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove staff, Jeysa Plana, and the captains, thank you so much for making sure our night was perfect. Martha and Jesus Ramirez, and Chrsitina Mendoza for UDS Photo. The pictures speak for themselves (WOW!) but equally as important, working with you is a dream! Ray and Jessica Roman for Ray Roman Films, you are on a level all on your own. Isabelle Melecio and Karen Cohen for Always Flowers, UPLYTE, AB Cover Designers, Carlos Oliva y Los Sobrinos del Jues, Rosie Cunil for Elegant Temptations, Donut Divas, all of the other vendors involved with this event, thank you so much for everything you do. As a team, we worked together to make this wedding a HUGe success.

Pamela and Cesar will always be very dear to my heart. If you were to spend 3 minutes with this couple, you would know how crazy  they are about each other. There were smiles and laughs throughout the planning, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Pamela and I had a blast planning the wedding, I will always hold those memories dear. Love you Pam!

To Rodrigo Varela and his staff, thank you so much for being so great to work with and taking these awesome pics. Amazing!!!!!!  Click HERE for Rorigo’s Post of this wedding. =)

Now, to the details of the wedding… Pamela and Cesar’s wedding rehearsal was on Thursday evening at Epiphany Catholic Church. The next evening, my staff and I were present at the Biltmore Hotel as all of their guests arrived to take shuttle busses to Fisher Island for the welcome party. One by one, they all got on the shuttles and after 45 minutes, they were off to enjoy a night on the beautiful island.  I was the last to leave and I remember being on the Ferry and rolling the window down hoping it wasn’t too cold for their outdoor reception. It was perfect weather however nothing could have prepared me for the next day’s weather surprise. Pamela walked up to me at the welcome dinner and said, “Our Univision meteorologists are saying that tomorrow will be the coldest it has been in Miami since the 60′s”. Poor thing, she was so concerned, but I simply told her not to worry; We are going to have a perfect day regardless of whatever happens with mother nature. =) We laughed and went on enjoying the the night. I was right, it was beyond PERFECTION starting with the Bride. She was absolutely stunning!

I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Cesar  Conde and Mrs. Pamela Silva-Conde.

Although it was the coldest day in over 40 years, it didn’t stop us from having a magical wedding. Pamela took her fur, wrapped it around herself, and was ready to go. The ceremony was gorgeous. As the guests walked in, they all had on their long winter coats and fur jackets. For a minute, you had to remind yourself you were in Miami. Monsignor performed a beautiful ceremony in which many shared tears of joy and tons of smiles for the happy couple. Shortly after, the guests were on their way to the gorgeous Biltmore Hotel as the Bridal Party took pictures with the bride and groom.

As the guests arrived to the Biltmore Hotel they were escorted to the cocktail hour which took place in the Granada Ballroom. It was so cute; everything was in shades of soft green and bright pinks. The guests were then escorted to the Country Club Ballroom for the dinner and dancing, well the first part of the dancing at least. The ballroom was extremely elegant. Vivian Gonzalez of Vivian’s Petals knew exactly what Pamela was looking for. She wanted the ballroom to be very elegant, all in off white with hints of blush and pink. Pamela loved the idea of interchanging centerpieces. on the tables on the perimeter of the ballroom, the centerpieces consisted of monochromatic bouquets of flowers and on the tables lining the center of the room, Vivian created an eclectic design of callas, candles, and bouquets of phalaenopsis orchids. The lighting int he ballroom was a soft amber and floral patterned gobos were placed on the far sides of the room; It further enhanced the romance in the room.

The night was young as the guests enjoyed their 4-course meal while mingling and enjoying the tequila luge. Ice luges are such a great and fun way to bring life to the bars. Adults turn into teenagers again which enhances the entire wedding experience. Once dinner was over, Cesar got on the stage and thanked all of his guests for joining them on such a wonderful celebration. He also surprised his new wife with a 60 minute performance from her favorite artist, Willy Chirino and his orchestra. The dance floor was packed as he gave a great show. Emelio Estafan even got on stage and played the bongos for one of hits hit songs.

Once the reception was over, guests were escorted into the Danielson Gallery for an after-party to rival ALL after parties. The Vallerie Tyson Band  and  DJ Ubi Merrero rocked out on stage as the guests partied the night away. We served midnight snacks consisting of desserts on loli-pops and Cesar’s all time-favorite Sir Pizza. All in all, it was a wedding all of their friends and families would remember forever. I will always remember the smiles on their faces as my new friend’s Cesar and Pamela were beyond overjoyed with their special day.

For the privacy of the couple and the esteemed guests whom attended the wedding, there are limited pictures that I  posted. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and a glimpse in what was one of the most spectacular weddings of 2010. Click HERE to see Pamela and Cesar’s Wedding Trailer by A Pico Studio.

Pamela and Cesar’s wedding  was Published as a 6-page spread  in the May 2010 Issue of Selecta Magazine. They named the wedding, “La Boda del Ano” ,The Wedding of the Year. I couldn’t agree more! I was so excited they chose my favorite picture of Pamela for the front Cover. Congrats Lovelies. =)

Pamela and Cesar, Thank you so much for allowing me to work along side you as you planned your wedding day. It was such a great experience, it hardly felt like work. Your family and friend’s are so great! Im so glad to have met them. Pamela since the moment we met, it was like I had found a long lost friend. You’re adorable and I love you! To all of the vendors who worked so hard to make this day so magical, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To Fransesca Diego, Bruce Barabree, Deborah Howard, Alex, Luis, and Luisandro from the Biltmore Hotel, Rodrigo Varela for Rodrigo Varela Photography, Armando Pico for A Pico Studio, Ana Paz Cakes, DJ Ubi Merrero, Vivian Gonzalez of Vivian’sPetals, Willy Chirino and his orchestra, Jenny and Omar for EventUS, Vallerie Tyson and her Band, Color Me Photo, and the greatest Sir Pizza Delivery man, thank you thank you thank you. =) Last but NOT least to Alicia and Jessie from Jackie Ohh… My Girls – I don’t even know how to tell you how much I love you =).

Erica and Matt’s African Safari Welcome Party

Erica and Matt’s Wedding Weekend was one of the most grande production of Jackie Ohh… Events history. I was so excited to work with Erica and Matt on their wedding as it was not only so much fun to plan but a true challenge for me as there was an entire weekend filled with events to plan for over 300 guests. The first event was a very private rehearsal dinner that took place on Mr. Cashman’s private yacht. 40 of their closest family and friends enjoyed dinner and cocktails sailing around Miami. The second event was a huge production in itself, Erica wanted to bring her favorite aspects of African Safari to Miami Beach. Erica and Matt love Safari’s so much so that much of their honeymoon was in Africa.

A special thank you to Rodrigo Varela from Rodrigo Varela Photography for these pictures. He was there to capture it all. The pictures tell an amazing story.

We choose Jungle Island for the Welcome Party. What a better venue than an actual park themed Jungle? As the guests arrived, they were greeted by authentic African drummers and were given african necklaces to wear, as if they were arriving at a typical African Party. Each guests was escorted through the park and into the party area located at the far end of the Island. We created a safari feel using AB Cover Designer’s table clothes animal prints together with solid african colors throughout the decor. Rick Interian for Avant Gardens designed the floral decor consisting of  imported tropical flowers such as lotus and proteas and each centerepice was different than the next. We used props throughout the party such as walls hand-made of branches, African masks to enhance the feel of being in Africa.

Throughout the party, the African drummers would play to African tribal songs and Dancers did traditional tribal dances. As the guests were watching the shows and enjoying cocktails,stations, and open bars a tribal artist, painted every guests’ face with the white, tribal design as in the typical events in Africa. Jungle Island trainers brought out baby animals for throughout the evening. Kangaroos, Eagles, Alligators, Libers, and Monkeys …Oh MY!  A 20 foot outdoor movie screen was in the background with slide shows of all of the pictures of Erica and Matt’s trips together to Africa and details of their safari adventures. When it got dark. fire dancers entertained the guests as they danced the night away to African beats mixed into New Age House music. It was a party, I for one will never forget. It was the perfect taste of the unique, different, and outrageous events to come.

THE BIG DAY!!!!

Here is the Absolutely Gorgeous Bride, Erica Cashman.  Everything she wore was custom made for her, She would have it any other way. Erica loves everything unique and different to her taste and personal style.  The bottom of her dress as larger than I could ever explain so much so that I was concerned about her walking throughout the gardens of Vizcaya, but she rocked it! I had a Jackie Ohh… stylist with her al all times to make sure she had everything she needed any second of the day. I miss her so much! Honestly, Erica is a beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We used to chat for countless hours and exchange tons of emails a week as we planned the wedding. I am so happy to tell you that she is now a Mommy of two beautiful twin boys. I can’t wait to meet them next time I go to New York.

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Matt and Erica Shevlin. They did their first look at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. We arranged for every guest to stay for three nights at the hotel the weekend of the wedding. Upon arriving to the hotel, they received a great welcome bag including a 16 page, custom-made booklet giving the, all of the information they could ever want to know about visiting out beautiful city. After, Erica and Matt went to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (where the reception was being held) for more pictures around the gardens and the grounds of the venue. Once they were finished, Erica as taken to the hotel for Barak Mizrahi to freshen up her hair and make up.

The guests were escorted to the Coral Gables Congregational Church where the ceremony was being held. Karen Cohen and Always Flowers did such an amazing job re-creating a design that Erica and Matt wanted for the ceremony. The guests then were escorted back to the Biltmore Hotel and transportation was provided for all of the guests to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

As guests arrived to Vizcaya, trumpets playing regal tunes greeted them. As they walked through the tea room into the venue, women dressed in Marie Antoinette attire roamed the gardens and welcomed the guests.  An 8-piece classical orchestra also dressed in regal attire played for the cocktail hour.  Erica wanted her guests to feel as if they had entered a royal ball centuries ago; It truly was a Regal Affair.  The guests loved it and were taking pictures the entire time.

With every royal affair there must be a royal entrance. Erica and Matt entered the cocktail hour with a Regal Fan-Fair. Perfection!

The main reception took place under a 6,000 square foot clear tent. We used champagne satin table cloths from AB Cover Designers to dress the tables. The chiavari chairs were covered with custom chair sleeves from Wildflower Linen brought in from California. Karen Cohen for Always Flowers designed these beautiful centerpieces consisting of off white and ivory flowers with touches of peach accents. Custom-made fabric fans and ostrich plumes enhanced the centerpieces to give them a regal flair. Always Flowers’ team of over 20 worked diligently to get this design completed in six hours.

Touch Catering and their staff of over 50 people were amazing and the food was delicious! Erica and I had such great dinners at Meat Market in Lincoln Rd. chatting about the details of the menu. Thank you so much to Ana Cristina and David for working so hard with us on this event, it was perfect! We rented gold-rimmed glassware and gold silverware to compliment the over all design. Since Erica and Matt’s invitation were hand designed by an artist in Miami, we used the same design around the menu card that laid under the glass beaded charger at every place setting.

Erica and Matt’s favorite confectioner, George Montilio came down from Boston to design their cake. It was absolutely gorgeous and enormous. It took up the entire table and it was brought in pieces as it was too heavy to pre-assmeble. Erica loved the design and since he was a guest at the wedding he was able to see her enjoy all of the guests loving the taste as well. Dave Walters for All Access made an acrylic stage for us that lit up in different colors throughout the evening. He also provided the sound rider for our Band flown in from New York, The Zoo Band. I have no words to describe how amazing this cover band is. By far, it was the best performance I have seen of a new-age rock band at a wedding. Although the songs were top 40s, they even had the older guests dancing. Erica even started singing with the band, well rapping actually. It was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the water, we created a large, after dinner lounge consisting of a coffee station, couches, and the best dessert station ever! The desserts were all candies in white and creams, On the far edges of the table we had a rotating cube filled with mini cubby holes that had slices of cake for the guests to take as they wished. I Loved that little touch of deliciousness. =)

All great things come to an end. The night was over and the newlyweds took a minute to sit by the water and take it all in. It was a long day but they enjoyed every second of it. Other than a little bit of rain at 11pm, the wedding went precisely as planned and it was more than they had ever dreamed it would be.

Erica and Matt’s Wedding was published in Enchanted Brides magazine.

There are so many people to Thank, but my first thank you has to go to Erica and Matt. Thank you so much for entrusting this special weekend in my hands. It was a great experience to have been working with you for the many months of planning and to have met all of your family and friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Rodrigo Varella Photography, Ricki from Artex Productions, Jungle Island, Rick Interian for Avant Gardens, High Performance Designs, DJ Ubi Merrero, Isabelle Melecio and Karen Cohen and Always Flowers, Adrienne Kaiser for Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Ana for AB Cover Designers, The ZOO BAND, Ana Cristina and David for Touch Catering, Barak Mizrahi, Dave Walters for All Access,  Panache, Wildflower Linens, ABC Costume Shoppe, Aventura Limo, The Biltmore Hotel, George Montilio, Bubble Miami, Aroma Espresso, Coral Gables Congregation Church, and espcially to the entire Jackie Ohh… Team. It was amazing and I will never forget it.

Monica and Alex will always have a place in my heart and in my funny bone… to say that we had a blast planning their wedding is an understatement. Sure we had moments of seriousness like when Monica and I had to talk Alex wanting to do a pig roast and convincing him not to come dressed as Elvis for the reception. As I am writing this , Im laughing just thinking of the many memorable moments we shared especially at the wedding. Putting this design together was not an easy task as Monica and Alex trusted me with their eyes closed and loved all of my ideas. The crazier the ideas were, the more liked them… My type of clients =) Welcome to what was one of the longest and most tedious reception decor set ups of the year.

Thank you SO SO So Much to Martha and Jesus Ramirez for UDS Photo who captured these spectacular images below. Love them ALL as always!

The day was ideal. Everything ran smooth, perfectly on time, and the weather gods were great to us! These two are so in love and they were so genuinely happy, it made us even more excited for the big day to come. Doesn’t she look gorgeous??? I loved everything about the bride! The ceremony was in the evening at The Church of the little Flower in Coral Gables and it went off without a hitch.

Soon after the ceremony ended, guests started arriving at the gorgeous Four Seasons Hotel in Brickell. The guests were escorted to the main ballroom floor. Before entering the foyer, they were greeted by this magnificent place card table design in the sky bridge. Monica loved every single color in the rainbow so we took her favorite colors and brought them together for the wedding. Since the main color was plum and silver, we accent it with red for the place card table. Oversized domes of pave roses sat atop cylindrical  bamboo structures. Tons of rose petals were placed on the table the place cards were lined along the edges. Candles were placed on the table as well as on the ledge of the sky bridge. This table scape was such a great wow factor and just a little taste of what was to come.

Where do I start? There are so many details involved in the this reception which makes me love it more and more. The table layout was really clever. We did two sets of clover tables, 4 royals, and 16 rounds with a white dance floor and stage in the center of the room. The clover and round reception tables were dressed in a deep plum dupioni table cloth by AB Covers. Each chiavari chair had a sash draped vertically. We hand tied each sash with a square crystal broach that Monica’s mom was able to find with one of her contacts in China. We waited for over three months to get those broaches but it was so worth it! It was daring but I used a cranberry cushion to bring in a bit of that dark burgundy pink that we used in the flowers. When it was all put together it was beyond perfection! The design on the clover tables were super intense; they had to be. Since it was the center of each side of the ballroom, we had to make that centerpiece the tallest and most outrageous. A 6 1/2 foot chandelier consisting of thousands of hand-strung orchids was placed in the center. It took three men on top of the tables in order to put this “monster” up (imagine, we had to do this twice…). At the base was an intense design of hydrangeas, tulips, orchids, hyacinth,and roses. The design spilled out to the round tables into a cluster of candles and even more flowers.  Thanks to the floral designer who put this all together. Eli, for EC Florals thank you for not running for the hills when i told you m ideas and for going above and beyond.

The tablescape on the royals was an eclectic design of various height glassware, monochromatic groupings of flowers, tons of candles and loose crystals. We used a pewter dupioni cloth on these tables for a variance in color and plus. it had to balance all of the color in the room. Finally, the third design consisted of  tall goblet vases with a mixed flower design spilling out of the mouth. Hanging from the vases was burgundy amaranthus,one of my favorite “flowers” to use.

After the bride and groom cut the absolutely stunning cake that Rosie Cunil for Elegant Temptations made,  we whisked Monica away for a couple of minutes as she changed into her after party dress. She entered the ballroom ready to party the night away with the sounds of Carlos Oliva y Los Sbrinos Del Jues and Jorge for Vision Djs. At midnight we brought in dancers, drummers, and silt walkers to do one of the craziest Hora Locas Miami had ever seen.  There was confetti all over the dance floor as the guests went wild. As you can Alex is not shy. Check him out below…. Gotta love him! =)

Martha took the couple for 10 minutes at the end of the night to take great shots of them by the fountain in the lobby. These are some of my favorite pictures of them that night.

Here I am with the Bride, Groom, my three girls Jessica, Alicia, and Sari, and Paola from the Four Seasons Miami. Monica and Alex, words cannot describe how happy I am with the outcome of the wedding. I will never forget everything from our first meeting to the tasting. Every time I go to Epcot, I’m gonna go to Canada and have the cheese and beer soup we had the chef from the hotel make for the app.. I will always love you guys! A huge thank you to my girls, you are my life-line, Paola from the Four Seasons,  Martha and Jesus Ramirez and Janet from Unique Design Studios, Ray and Jessica Roman with Ray Roman Films, Rosie Cunil for Elegant Temptations, Eli from EC Foral Design, Ana for AB Cover Designers Carlos Olivia y Los Sobrinos Del Jues, Jorge from Vision Djs, Katy Castro and all of the other vendors that were such an intricate part of putting this wedding together. I am one in a large team and I cannot do what I do without you all. For more information about this wedding, the vendors involved, and details of this event, please contact me.