Romantic Art Deco Wedding Invitation Suite
Modern Laser Cut Art Deco Wedding Invitation
For Karoll and Carlos’ modern glam Mexican wedding near Puerto Vallarta we created a soft and romantic art deco inspired invitation suite. Laser cut details on a dove grey sleeve opened up to reveal a siver foiled and letterpress printed invitation on a thick opalescent cardstock.
Pastel pink and white striped envelope liners added a soft touch of color to the invitation suite while white calligraphy and a stunning monogram foiled onto the backflap made the envleopes a beautiful piece as well.
Our bride gave her bridesmaids these darling macaron trinket boxes we adored! Perfect for easy to lose precious rings and stud earrings.
Invitation Design Alchemy Fine Events
Calligraphy by Kathryn Murray
Photography by Paula Luna
Read More »Modern Luxe Mexican Wedding
Modern Glam lakside Mexico Wedding Mascota
When Karoll first contacted me about her wedding I had no idea what it would turn into. A year and a few trips to Puerto Vallarta later, we created one of the most spectacular weddings I had the honor of being a part of. Tucked into the tropical rain forest inland of Puerto Vallarta at one of her family’s resorts, Karoll and Carlos got married in a chapel inspired by the local monastery her dad, the former mayor of Puerto Vallarta, had built with the hopes that one day his two daughters would wed there. His dream came true.
After taking one last carriage ride with her dad around the lake Karoll, clad in Monique Lhuillier was wed to a dapper Carlos styled in Dolce & Gabana in the open aired chapel with the tropical rain forest as their backdrop.
Guests were treated to beautiful displays of charcuterie including iberico ham and imported cheeses on custom wood and chrome tables we had made and sipped cocktails from a massive round bar that surrounded the trunk of an ancient tree.
After the cocktail hour, guests entered the grandiose tent draped in dove grey sheer fabric and lit by custom built crystal chandeliers and edition bulbs. A runway worthy dancefloor of black and white stripes stretched the length of the tent that led up to the stage where the brides favorite band, an electronic orchestra Telefunka, played.
Being in the hotel industry definitely had its perks when it came to the catering. We brought in the family’s hotels best chefs to create a five course dinner including foie gras, oxtail soup, passion fruit sorbet intermezzo and kobe wage filet followed by desserts.
After dinner the guests were invited outside to enjoy a huge firework display while Telefunka played the bride and groom’s favorite song in the background. After dinner the chapel had been transformed into outdoor lounges where we offered cognac’s and hand rolled cigars with the couples monogram.
For an impact-full dessert display we designed a candy-striped wall with oversized flowers as the backdrop for a huge array of chocolate truffles, boxed macarons and confections which flanked a beautiful white petal wedding cake. The best moment was when the petite bride had to stand on a chair to be able to cut the cake!
The partying crowd turned up the volume and danced into the wee hours of the night, finally slowing down after the 5am late night snack of tortas ahogadas.
Karoll & Carlos’ Love Story:
Both Karoll and Carlos grew up in Puerto Vallarta, but were not close friends as Carlos was a few years younger. However, years later, they started a friendship and found out that they were both attending school in San Diego because of mutual friends. After many years, they discovered they loved one another.
“Most girls dream of one day marrying a handsome, smart and creative guy when they grow up, but few find their true love,” Karoll said. Especially not in another country! The two began their journey to adulthood by traveling and experiencing the world and had no idea that fate would lead them to each other in sunny San Diego. Their fate turned to promise when Carlos asked for Karoll’s hand in marriage at Kensington Gardens, in London. Needless to say, she accepted.
Carlos, an architect, and Karoll, a designer, studied at FIDM. After undergrad, she followed him to Hong Kong where he did a prestigious internship for an architect. Shortly after, they returned home to Puerto Rico, where Karoll’s dad was the former Mayor, to start planning their wedding and new life together.
Karoll dreamt of having her wedding on her family’s property in Sierra Lago ever since she could remember. Having experienced her sister’s wedding there, she knew that planning with Carlos and her family would be like “coming home”.
The wedding, reception and party weekend took place at the family’s property built in Sierra Lago, Mexico. The ceremony was in a sacred chapel built specifically for both daughters to wed. It was not only special, but it was created just for them.
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Pastel Nautical La Jolla Wedding
Preppy Pastel Nautical La Jolla Wedding by Alchemy Fine Events
Preppy Chic + Vintage Nautical
When Christin and I first met to discuss their dream wedding I was immediately knew this was going to be amazing… Her fun sense of design, color and pattern were amazing! Not to mention she’s an accessories designer herself so has incredible style. With inspirations of preppy, pastel nautical, 60’s flower power and a bit of humor, we got started. I envisioned a combinations of a little Gilligan’s Island and a little vintage yacht club. With these muse’s in mind we were off to create her dream nautical La Jolla wedding. The talented Ashley Keleman captured the day beautifully through her soft and romantic eye.
I knew immediately that her sense of whimsy would be the perfect wedding for the talented Krista Jon who has a whole lot of inner flower child in her, as you can see by Christin’s ethereal bouquet above. Garden roses, lambs ear, astilbe, pampas grass and chamomile flowers were just a few of the flowers that painted this dream bouquet.
For Christin & John’s nautical wedding invitations I watercolored some soft floral designs and combined kitschy graphics and candy stripes. For a pop of glam we foiled a gold rope border and outlined the daisies II had painted. We used gold foiled polka dot liners and confetti for an extra pop of fun as guests opened them.
The ceremony design consisted of a driftwood arch that we hung a vintage ship wheel from. Krista Jon created a beautiful flower installation on top of the arch bursting with color and texture perfect for our kitschy bride.
Since the wedding took place on an expansive open rooftop we wanted to create the feeling of a private garden. To do so, we brought in hedges to line the ceremony space and combined mismatched white chairs and and thick nautical rope to line the aisleway.
Cocktail hour boasted a wooden bar any ship would be jealous of! Vintage ship wheels, life savers and painted buoys decorated our bar with racks of beautiful vintage glassware flanked by row boat oars.
For a fun escort card display we created mini life savers with gold calligraphy by Kathryn Murray showed guests to their seats. Your Love is a Life Saver!
After cocktail hour guests were seated at tables including this ‘Captains Table’ which we created for the wedding party. Whitewashed tables and a cabana frame were the base of this design which we hung a vintage chandelier and pink fish netting from.
After guests were seated we transformed the ceremony site into the dessert bar. We wanted to show off the beautiful ceremony design as long as possible so repurposed it as the backdrop to our row boat dessert spread including a beautiful cake and confections by Sweet & Saucy Shop. Nautical macarons, small desserts and a flower power worthy cake were all offered inside of a vintage rowboat by Archive Vintage Rentals. 
Event Design, Planning, Invitations & Stationery: Alchemy Fine Events
Flowers: Krista Jon
Photographer: Ashley Kelemen
Videographer: Joel VanZ
Cake & Desserts: Sweet & Saucy Shop
Venue: La Jolla Cove Suites
Hair: Ya Ling of Zen 2002 Hair Studios
Makeup: Bride
Catering: Roppongi
Furniture RentalsArchive & Farmtables & More
Vintage Glass Rentals: Hostess Haven
Seating Cards: Kathryn Murray Calligraphy
Photobooth: Flying Camera
Lighting: AV Event Design
Linens: La Tavola
DJ: DJ Alpha
Bride’s Dress: Watters from The White Dress
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Earrings: Kate Spade
Bowties: Made by Bride
Bridesmaid Dresses: Lulu*s
Belt & Accessories: J. Crew
Groomsmen Suits: Club Room
Read More »Luxe Valentine’s Dinner
Shot Through The Heart…. Valentine’s Dinner
THE DESIGN
With this ultra saucy and sexy inspirational design we wanted to create the ultimate Valentine’s dinner for two with dark design undertones of slithering serpents and spellbinding epicreations to nibble and sip on as you gaze across an arrow shot heart at your eternal Valentine. I started by setting the table with luxurious pieces by L’Objet including reptile printed elements such as their embossed Alencon collection, serpent twisting black trays and bewitching snake napkin jewels around snakeskin printed italian linen napkins. I want to show my clients how you can create an ultra romantic, luxurious and intimate Valentine’s Day dinner at home with a few key pieces.
THE Flowers
For this luxury Valentine’s dinner Isari Flower Studio created a texturally rich heart shaped arrangement with lush blooms in deep reds and raspberries for the perfect centerpiece to pour your heart over… The heart shape was studded with large bloom amaryllis, miniature blooms garden roses, ranunculus, 2 shades of ruffled french carnations, deep shade parrot tulips, astrantias, burgundy anemones and hellebores, with clematis and it;s foliages and flowering Japanese magnolia. 
THE COCKTAILS
Snakeoil Cocktail Company created three bewitching cocktails to help lure your sweetheart under your spell for your romantic Valentine’s dinner.. For an extra dose of drama molecular mixologist Mike Yen also created a ‘Beeting Heart’ which includes a cocktail encapsulated into a human heart shaped gelatin shell..not for the ‘faint of heart’… “Sipping on a beautifully crafted concoction will set the mood in any love den, especially one as lovingly crafted as these sultry cocktails” says Michael Esposito of Snakeoil Cocktails. Read below for the recipes for three of these spellbinding cocktails!
Old School Crush Cocktail
(served in an old school sour in coupe glass)
2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
0.5 Oloroso Sherry
5 Muddled Black Cherries
1.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lemon Juice
1.5 oz Fig Infused Honey Syrup
1 Cage-free Egg White
Garnished with a black cherry heart
Tops and Bottoms Cocktail
(layered in a double old fashioned glass)
1.5 oz Espolon Silver Tequila
1.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lime
1.5 oz Black Lime Syrup
1 oz Mulled Wine Float
Garnished with Splayed Vanilla Bean and Star Anise
SEEDS OF LOVE
(layered in a goblet)
1.5 oz Titos Vodka
2 oz Basil-Pomegranate Juice*
0.5 oz Fresh Pressed Lime Juice
3 oz Ginge Beer
Garnished with pomegranate arils and bloomed basil seeds
THE FOOD
Brilliant Chef Andrew Spurgin created an intoxicating Valentine’s dinner menu of salt crusted abalone and octopus with a lapsang souchang tea consommé, Gravlax and iberico ham with a squid ink sour cream and hazelnuts. An artists rendition of crudite was presented 2 ways atop a gold starburst and standing to attention… making vegetables once again very sexy… “Food is and can be very sexy, from the textures, the aromas and aphrodisiac effect” says Spurgin, “even the slightest gesture of feeding your love a sumptuous oyster can be an incredible turn on”.
CREDITS:
Design & Styling Vanessa Van Wieren of Alchemy Fine Events
Chef Andrew Spurgin
Photos by Luna Photo
Flowers by Isari Flower Studio
China by L’Objet
Napkins by Huddleson Linens
WANT TO SHOP THE LOOK?
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