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Inspiration + Events
Top 5 Wine Country Wedding Venues
The Wine Country of Northern California boasts some of the most breathtaking wedding venues we've been fortunate enough to perform at. Even the ones we have yet to visit in Sonoma and Napa Valley are wildly praised by our clients and event planners, so we decided to round up our Top 5 Venues of Napa and Sonoma Valley:
1. Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley: Gold Standard is set to visit this private Upper Napa Valley canyon ranch resort in the coming months. With luxury lodge accommodations, award-winning spa and fitness facilities, an on-site vineyard and acres of scenic hiking trails, what more could you ask for?
2. Olympia's Valley Estate, Sonoma Valley: This family owned and operated farmsted and seasonal event venue is known for it's uniqueness. Receptions are held in the redwood barn, surrounded by gardens, lake views, apple orchards, rustic cottages and a Victorian house popularly used as bridal suites.
3. Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley: This is the venue to book if you want sweeping, panoramic views of Napa Valley vineyards. For parties up to 120 guests, this venues promises intimacy and first class service, not to mention a stunning sunset ceremony site.
4. V. Sattui Winery, Napa Valley: With a Tuscan-style courtyard perfect for ceremonies, V. Sattui is one of the only actual wineries in Napa Valley that hosts romantic and customized weddings onsite between the months of April and October.
5. Meadowood Resort, Napa Valley: For weddings on a grander scale that still offer intimacy and romance, Meadowood is where you want to be. Promising timeless weddings all year round, it's the perfect destination wedding location, as the ceremony and reception can be customized to fit you and your guests' needs.
For more Downbeat LA wedding tips, visit our Wedding Tips Blog.
Adamson House
If you're driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, you can't miss the Adamson House: A Spanish Colonial Revival-style home which is a National Historic Site, California Historical Landmark, and California State Park all rolled into one.
From April to October, this gorgeous oceanfront property hosts weddings and special events across its many outdoor courtyards and lawn spaces.
Downbeat LA bands have been performing at this historic property for years and have always been impressed with how the space transforms for every wedding and event that takes place there. The views are stunning and the ambience is perfection, what more could you ask for?
Adamson House is truly one of our favorite Malibu venues. For more information, visit adamsonhouse.org.
Engagement Party: To Have or Not To Have?
Getting engaged is most definitely a cause for celebration! After sharing the wonderful news with your closest family and friends, you might begin to wonder whether or not you should host an engagement party. While it is not expected or even required to have one, it is definitely a great way to get your loved ones together to celebrate this milestone.
Whether you envision a casual get together at your favorite restaurant or bar, or an elaborate party that requires RSVPs, there are three things we recommend considering before planning to host an engagement party: Budget, timing and guest list.
1. BUDGET
If you're doing the hosting, make sure you set a realistic budget with the understanding that there will be a great deal of costs associated with the wedding itself. Don't overspend. If someone offers to throw you a celebratory get together or you find yourself walking into a surprise party, that's the perfect solution!
2. TIMING
Engagement parties usually occur within 1-2 months of being engaged. If you've already locked in your wedding venue and started working on sending your save-the-date's, don't confuse friends and family by giving them too many celebrations to RSVP to leading up to the big day.
3. GUEST LIST
Consider who you'd want to be there to celebrate your engagement. This will also have a lot to do with budget considerations. Remember, you'll be having showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsals, dinners and more. You don't need to invite everyone to everything, however it is important to note that whoever you invite to your engagement party should also be on the guest list for the wedding.
For more wedding tips by Downbeat LA, click here.
Churro Borough
A detail not to be missed at weddings and special events is the dessert! For brides and grooms who choose to forego the traditional cake presentation, California-based dessert vendor Churro Borough has the perfect alternative: churro ice cream sandwiches!
The A-List performed at a Malibu wedding where this vendor supplied these delicious treats for guests after dinner and it was a massive hit!
For more information on booking Churro Borough to cater your wedding or event, visit their website at www.churroborough.com.
Gold Standard + Eden Gardens
Luxury weddings are what Gold Standard does best! Whether it's in our home state of California, or across the country, we make sure our bride and grooms' entertainment needs are not only met, but exceeded.
Gold Standard had the pleasure of performing at Moorpark's beautiful Eden Gardens for a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception. You can see for yourself just how gorgeous this setting is:
Between the ceremony that took place overlooking the pond with acoustic performers, the cocktail hour beneath the canopy of trees and the dinner and dance party that followed with a full band that kept the dance floor packed, it was a night full of love. The DJ even ended the night with a silent disco, as requested by the bride and groom!
For more information on how to book Gold Standard for your next wedding or event, click here.
Wedding Resource Rundown
When it comes to wedding planning and inspiration, there are so many amazing resources available right at our fingertips! Luckily, we've compiled our top three go-to blogs and books into one place:
WEDDING BLOGS
For the "style-obsessed" bride: Style Me Pretty
For all wedding ideas: Woman Getting Married
For finding the best vendors: The Knot / Carats & Cake
WEDDING BOOKS
For planning and organization: The Wedding Planner & Organizer, by Mindy Weiss
For style inspiration: Style Me Pretty Weddings: Inspiration and Ideas for an Unforgettable Celebration
For more ideas and inspiration: Martha Stewart Weddings: Ideas and Inspiration
Planning for a wedding is an exciting time, remember to have fun and try not to get overwhelmed! For more tips, visit our Wedding Tips Blog.
Casa Del Mar
Santa Monica, California boasts some pretty incredible oceanfront locations and scenery, but one venue that always takes our breath away is Casa Del Mar. Not only is this a luxury hotel that provides the perfect getaway, but it is a glamorous wedding venue and event space that never ceases to amaze guests.
We've had the pleasure of performing at Casa Del Mar weddings and events and always love coming back to this stunning location, which features "a ballroom with two-story high ceilings, a staircase that allows you to make a grand entrance, and the Pacific Ocean keeping watch."
Our clients love this space as much as we do, but how can you not? For more information on how to book this gorgeous venue, go to www.hotelcasadelmar.com.
You're engaged! What happens next?
Congratulations, you're engaged! Whether it was a complete surprise or you were in on the proposal, it's truly an exciting time for couples to enjoy together. Before diving into wedding planning, here are 3 important things to do right after you say "yes" (after taking ring selfies, of course!):
1. Share the news with loved ones.
Before posting those ring selfies on social media, remember to call your closest family and friends. Picking up the phone goes a long way, and no one should have to find out about a family member getting engaged via mass email or Facebook post. Once you've shared the news privately, then you can craft the perfect status update and let the notifications come rolling in!
2. Get your ring sized and insured.
ENGAGEMENT RING PICTURES
Maybe your fiancé nailed it and the ring fits perfectly. Chances are it will need adjustments, and since you'll be showing it off quite a bit you want to make sure the fit is right and it's covered. This is a very important step to remember that often gets overlooked. Try taking it back to where your fiancé purchased it, then sneak a quick peek at wedding bands to get an idea of what you'd like down the road.
3. Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!
Before hiring a wedding planner and picking a date, don't forget to relax, celebrate and have fun just being engaged! Go out for drinks, plan get-togethers, travel to see family and most importantly set aside time for just the two of you. Once planning gets under way it's difficult to find the time to just be together without having a million ideas and to-do's running through your head. Take your time, and enjoy the entire ride!
Flipbooth
"Flipbooth takes the idea of a traditional photo booth and flips it on its head!" We've seen this California-based, attention-grabbing set up in action at a private event in San Diego and guests absolutely loved it!
While Flipbooth does offer classic photo booth services and GIF animations, we were really impressed when we saw their Flipbooks! Guests can record a 6-second video that prints instantly into a physical Flipbook keepsake, not to mention they can share the digital version instantly to their social media channels.
Photo booths are always the perfect addition to any wedding or private event, but Flipbooth's Flipbooks take it to the next level! For more information, visit www.flipboothla.com.
Soultones + AltaMed
Whether it's an intimate affair or a grand-scale event, our dance bands know how to make an impact! That's exactly what Soultones did when they were asked to perform at LA's Shrine Auditorium for AltaMed.
Not only did the band bring the energy with a hand-picked set list of dance songs, the bilingual singers effortlessly switched back and forth between Spanish and English Top 40 hits, turning the dance floor into a club for guests.
For more information on how to book Soultones and other Downbeat bands for your next corporate event or private affair, head to our "Book Now" page!
Vendor Spotlight - MK Sadler Photography
Today's vendor spotlight highlights the gorgeous work of California-based portrait, travel, editorial and wedding photographer Meghan Kay Sadler, known professionally as MK Sadler Photography.
We've been longtime fans and supporters of Meghan's work for a while knowing that we've also had the privilege of having her husband play with us at multiple weddings!
Her portfolio and Instagram accounts speak for themselves, not to mention her impressive following and having just been named one of the best wedding photographers in the U.S. by Harper's Bazaar. Check out some of her work for yourself:
For more information and to see more of Meghan's work, head to mksadler.com & mksadlerwed.com, and be sure to follower her on her Instagram accounts, @mksadler & @mksadlerwed.
Unique, Outside-The-Box Venue Ideas
Wedding venues set the tone for the big day and should reflect the bride and groom's personalities and styles. For something truly unique and memorable, try wandering off the beaten path to find something that suits you as a couple.
Depending on what type of couple you consider yourselves to be, here are some outside-the-box venue ideas that could work for you:
FOR ADVENTUROUS COUPLES:
Say "I Do" in a hot air balloon OR host an intimate wedding in a cave!
FOR HOPELESS ROMANTIC COUPLES:
Invite guests to a castle OR consider a candle-lit wine cellar reception!
FOR ART/HISTORY BUFF COUPLES:
Lock down a date at a national museum OR rent out an acclaimed art gallery!
We promise that your wedding will be beautiful and unforgettable no matter what you choose!
The Slow Motion Booth
We have had the privilege of performing for so many beautiful weddings, and today's vendor spotlight showcases our new favorite interactive video booth, The Slow Motion Booth.
We experienced firsthand just how hilarious and memorable this booth was at a wedding in Malibu with our band The A-List. The videos speak for themselves:
The Slow Motion Booth's set up was very impressive and easy to envision at any venue. Throughout the night, guests had fun choosing from the props that were provided and watching their videos on instant playback.
For more information on this awesome company, visit theslowmotionbooth.com.
Winter Wedding Destinations
The term “Destination Wedding” commonly incites imagery of blue oceans and white sandy beaches, but wintertime can be just as intimate and appealing for the big day if you find the right location.
For a true winter wonderland wedding, surrounding yourself with a snowy landscape and warm, luxurious accommodations is key, not to mention the added bonus of roaring fireplaces, horse drawn carriages, lodging with mountain views and more!
Get inspired to cozy up and say “I Do” with these images from real weddings, and check out our recommended locations for your dream destination winter wedding:
Hotel de Glace (Quebec City, Quebec)
ICEHOTEL (Jukkasjärvi, Sweden)
The Ranch at Rock Creek (Philipsburg, MO)
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe (Lake Tahoe, CA)
Snapmotive
Our Vendor Spotlight for today goes out to a very talented artist, Snapmotive aka Daniel Han! Snapmotive produces amazing photos by keeping it simple and effortlessly capturing a love story between couples. Check out some of his work!
Take a look at the details!
It's been a pleasure for us to witness Snapmotive in action and we couldn't be more showcase their work. For more info please head to their site at www.snapmotive.com
The Booth Bus
Create an exciting experience for your guests and family at your special day by adding a new, modern and hip photo booth! Check out whats "in" in the world of event photo booths and check out one of our favorites, The Booth Bus!
We had the pleasure of seeing The Booth Bus at one of our weddings and we were amazed at how many people gravitated towards their booth! Don't hesitate and check out their website! www.theboothbus.com
Where Should You Host Your Wedding?
So you are planning your wedding and starting to think about the big question, "Where will I host my big day?" The location of the wedding will make a huge impact of the feel and atmosphere of the day. Picking a good venue or location can seem like a daunting task but if we start by figuring out the region you feel would work best, we can start to narrow down the field quickly.
When thinking about location some factors to consider are:
a.) who do I want in attendance?
b.) how many people do I want in attendance?
If you are looking to have an intimate wedding, a destination wedding could be unforgettable!
The easier or the harder you make it for your loved ones to make an appearance will help determine the number of guests and what to start planning for.
Other things to consider are:
1.) Do you live in a warm place or want to get married somewhere warm?
2.) Does Europe call your name?
3.) Or does travel just sound fun?!
There are countless reasons and places to get married so we are gonna spend the next few weeks talking about fun exciting places to make your big day the most memorable!
At the end of the day, what matters most is spending your special moment with the people you love but doing it away from home is always fun!
Julie Lee Wedding Planners
We had the pleasure of working with Julie and her team and all we can say is wow! Check out more of their stuff and all that they have to offer to make your special day even more special. www.julieleeweddings.com
They have a ton of color palettes to cast vision of what your wedding can look like; and from experience they are more than capable of executing and producing exactly what you're looking for.
Intimate Wedding Venues
Want an intimate wedding? Take a look at a few of our favorite venues to have the perfect intimate setting for your special day! We've had the pleasure of performing at all 3 locations and all we can say is, they are all great.
1. The Ruby Street
The Ruby Street is definitely a place that can change into whatever you'd want it to look, feel and envision it to be. For more info head on down to The Ruby Street!
2. SmogShoppe
If you're looking for a modern and industrial space, look no further because SmogShoppe is the venue for you! Head to their website and take a look at their work.
3. The Sunset Restaurant
The Sunset Restaurant in Malibu is a venue that fits the criteria of a California wedding. From a ceremony on the sand to a beach vibe reception, this is one way to celebrate your DAY!
