The beautiful moment above was caught by Jose Villa from Louisa & John’s Malibu wedding.
THE DAY IT HAPPENED
May 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
INSTAGRAM RECAP : PARIS SCOUTING TRIP
May 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Lars and I recently returned from a quick 3 day scouting trip to Paris for an upcoming wedding, which just so happens to be one of my favorite places on the planet. Here’s a little peek from some of the beauty we caught on our cameras. If you’re not already, follow us here and here to see what we’re up to on a daily basis.
DRESSES A MOTHER COULD LOVE
May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
In honor of all you moms out there who I know absolutely HATE the stereotypical gowns designed for mother’s of the brides and grooms, I’ve hand selected just a couple of my favorite pretty numbers. All of which are fresh yet appropriate…
All gowns above are from Neiman’s.
TO DO LIST FOR YOUR DOWNTIME
May 9, 2013 By 1 Comment
If you have given yourself ample time for the wedding planning process, you will likely hit a point where you are in a bit of a holding pattern. Design can be touched on, but not finalized, timelines can be drafted but not completed, and so on and so on. If you get to a “lull” in your planning, here are just a few things you can fill your days with:
Start your beauty regimen
If you haven’t been following my girl, Susie’s posts, then click here, here and here to find a way to start treating your skin right all the while getting it ready for the big day.
Start your pre-wedding workouts
Whether you are planning a full blown program with a personal trainer or you’re just going to step up your current regimen a notch, now’s a good time to get moving.
Get in the gift giving mood
Start thinking about and purchasing the gifts for all of your lovely friends and family, without whom, you wouldn’t have made it this far. Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Parents or even the people who will serve as guest book attendant, etc. all are gift worthy.
Plan that honeymoon
I’m sure you’ve already been dreaming about the perfect place to spend your honeymoon, but now let’s go ahead put those plans in place.
Start registering
Update your registry. Showers and celebrations will likely start within the last two to three months of your wedding plans and it’s great to have the registries refreshed before hand.
Start shopping
The dress will be in soon and fittings will begin! You’ll need to have your shoe options narrowed down in time for the seamstress to get started. Also, it’s always nice to see the whole package complete with jewelry, hair piece and undergarments.
Start your DIY projects
If there is anything you’re hoping to do yourself, now’s the time to get started. I promise those favors and other little goodies you are making by hand, will take much longer than you anticipate, so get them started now and save yourself many sleepless nights closer to the wedding.
Get the men’s attire in order
If your fiance is like most, he hasn’t finalized his wedding day attire. Use this time to get the discussion going and finalize details on his fancy pants.
Reconnect with your fiance
Sometimes wedding plans distract from the real situation at hand, which is, you are about to be married. You could reconnect in a variety of ways from pre-marital counseling to simply just having a few heart to hearts with your fiance about situations you anticipate facing as a married couple. It will be good to touch base in a way that doesn’t revolve around the flower girl’s hair or which napkins will look best with your table scape. Or, if you’re so inclined, just go out and have fun together.
Image courtesy of Heather Kincaid
CONSIDERING PRE-MARITAL COUNSELING
May 8, 2013 By 2 Comments
I’m sure some of you think pre-marital counseling is something that is forced upon you by the church or other groups, but, I actually get a lot of requests for information on premarital counselors, the benefits of, the time commitment, etc. Since, I’m not a therapist and would never claim to be, I did ask one of my favorite therapists, Will Baum, to give us a bit of insight for all of you considering some counseling sessions before the big day. Here’s what Will had to say…
As this blog attests, preparing for a wedding can be an amazing, overwhelming swirl of details. Friends, family, fashion, flowers–it’s easy to lose sight of what the whole thing was about in the first place: The two of you, getting married. (Congratulations, by the way.)
You’re likely have countless questions about how to shape a wedding exactly the way you picture it. Beth and this blog are full of answers. I’d like to encourage you to make time to consider another set of questions. These questions can also be overwhelming–and may feel unwanted at the moment–but they’re important. They’re about being married once you’ve made it past the big day. As a bonus, answering them may also smooth the ride through the sometimes bumpy ramp up to “I do.”
Among these questions: What are the areas where you and your spouse-to-be sync up most? When do the two of you tend to disagree? What happens when you don’t see eye-to-eye? How do you deal with disagreements in a way that helps maintain and build your respect and affection for each other?
Getting a clearer sense today of potentially tricky areas–and how to handle them–can help head-off surprise and confusion down the line, leaving you with an even stronger foundation for your marriage.
As you talk over hot-button topics (children, money, sex, family, religion), it makes good sense to have an impartial third party to act as guide and, if needed, as referee. Who best? Maybe your officiant or other clergy. For many, it’s a therapist. Regardless of who you see for pre-marital counseling, the plan and hope is that after just a handful of sessions, you’ll feel even more excited and deeply connected as couple. A very nice way to be come vow-time.
~Will
Will Baum, LCSW does pre-marital counseling at offices in Beverly Hills and Silver Lake. Contact him at (323) 610-0112 or through his website, www.willbaum.com.
With all of this, if any of you are searching for marital counseling and live in the Southern California area, consider checking Will out. He’s the best of the best and can help you prepare for married life as well as work through any pre-marital jitters you might be having!
SOMETHING NEW
May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Wearing something new on your wedding day represents good luck and success for you and your partner and the hope for a bright future together. Here are a few of my favorite ideas on incorporating something new into the big day and beyond.
Wedding Dress Sash by Julia Newman Photography, Custom Perfume made by you for your new beginning by Ka-Mil-Yin and photographed by Jen Huang Photography, Christian Louboutin Shoes photographed by Jasmine Star and Event by Beth Helmstetter Events, Claire Pettibone Wedding Day Lingerie shot by Elizabeth Messina, Monogramm Bracelet
GETTING AROUND
May 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Here are just a few of our favorite means of transportation…
TOP ROW: Guest arrival by Clydesdale at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont from Steve Steinhardt /Vintage Rolls Royce at Liz & Chris’s Figueroa Farmhouse Wedding by Aaron Delesie
2ND ROW: Vintage buggy at Jaime & Wes’s Bali Wedding at Amanusa Resort by Steve Steinhardt
3RD ROW: Tess & Peter basking in the moment in a Vintage Bentley by Amy & Stuart
4TH ROW: Jessica & Chetan cruise the Siene in a Vintage Bateau by Steve Steinhardt
BOTTOM ROW: Jackie & Fred pose in a Vintage Firetruck at Olowalu Plantation in Maui by Manuele Photography
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
May 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Calling all Interns, Beth Helmstetter Events is looking for an eager, fun loving, responsible person who has a strong interest and slight obsession with all things wedding related! Please send your resume and cover letter to lars@bethhelmstetter.com if you feel that you are a great fit and meet the below criteria.
Duties will include but are not limited to:
- Assist in organization, distribution, and inventory of event materials
- Sourcing of materials for upcoming events
- Shipping and receiving as well as preparation of invitations and save the dates
- Data entry & RSVP tracking
- Vendor outreach and assistance with booking vendors
- General Administrative Support
- Assistance at events
- Assistance in researching & curating online store
- Assistance in Social Media efforts including twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and blogging
Minimum Requirements:
- Current student of a 4-year College or University
- Interest in the event industry, preferably wedding related
- Basic computer skills on a MAC and extreme proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel & Powerpoint
- Excellent internet research abilities
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Dependability
- Organization
- Friendly Disposition & Patience
- Detail-oriented and well organized with the ability to multi-task
- Some knowledge of Photoshop. Graphic design knowledge a plus.
- A minimum commitment of 16 hours per week in our West Hollywood office.
No phone calls please.
Look forward to hearing from you!
WINE KNOW-HOW
May 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Dying to be a wine snob but need a bit of help? Here are a few tips that will help you show off your knowledge and know how at your next dinner party!
COOL IT DOWN
Most of us know that white wine should be chilled, but did you know that certain varietals taste better at different temperatures? Light, crisp wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio taste best around 35 to 40 degrees, which means about 1.5 to 2 hours in the refrigerator prior to drinking. On the other hand, richer, more buttery wines like Chardonnay actually do better in the 50 to 55 degree range or about 1 hour in the fridge.
OPEN IT UP
There are plenty of fancy wine openers on the market, some of which are more bout form than function which can be a little costly. One of the simplest most reliable tools is a simple waiter’s key. For around $5, this does everything you need and will last for years. If you prefer the look and ease of a lever-style opener, the Tower Power levee corkscrew is a great value at around $40.
DECANTING
Giving wine some time to breath makes a world of difference. Decanting isn’t rocket science either. The larger the surface area exposed to the wine, the better the decanting and flavor. Pour your wine into a decanter or carafe and let is sit for an hour. If you don’t have time, try a Vinturi Aerator. Pouring a glassful through the acrylic funnel exposes the wine to air very quickly and gives you an instant decanting.
TIME TO POUR
Have you ever noticed after you pour a glass of wine how a little seems to dribble down the side of the bottle? Once your wine is chilled and decanted, pour into the glass, and as you’re finishing, slightly twist your wrist and tilt up the bottle. This method works like a charm to keep every last drop into your glass and off your table.
