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Inspiration + Events
The Hidden Garden - Florist
Floral design is definitely an art form we can appreciate, and we have had the pleasure of working with some amazing florists on weddings and events throughout Los Angeles. Today’s vendor spotlight is for The Hidden Garden, the luxury in-house florist for iconic venues including The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hotel Bel Air, Montage Beverly Hills, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and more.
Downbeat LA recently worked with The Hidden Garden team for a wedding at The Beverly Hills Hotel, planned by our friends at A Good Affair. Take a look at some of their incredible arrangements below:
Find out more about The Hidden Garden by visiting their website: www.hiddengardenflowers.com.
Playlist: Jazz Classics
Jazz music is perfect for setting an relaxed and romantic tone. Whether it's for a wedding cocktail hour, or a dinner set list, we put together some favorites in our newest "Jazz Classics" playlist on Spotify:
JAZZ CLASSICS:
So What - Miles Davis
Cantaloupe Island - Herbie Hancock
Summertime - Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald
Listen to hear more!
Soultones + Heritage Estates
It was a night of celebration with Soultones at Heritage Estates! The dance band took the stage to perform at this beautiful, rustic Southern California wedding reception after providing music for the ceremony and cocktail hour as well. Guests enjoyed both the indoor and outdoor spaces this venue had to offer, and Soultones kept the crowd dancing through the night:
Interested in booking live entertainment for your next special event or dream wedding? CLICK HERE for a free quote! See and hear more from dance band Soultones by visiting their artist page here.
Top Temecula Wedding Venues
Temecula is a gorgeous part of Southern California known for its surrounding wine country and hillside vineyards. Not only is it a perfect place to fall in love, but the area's wineries and luxury resorts can be the perfect place to say "I Do!"
For couples looking for a winery wedding, here are Temecula's top venues to consider:
1. GALWAY DOWNS
2. PONTE WINERY
5. VILLA DE AMORE
Playlist: Top Reggae Hits
Reggae is one of our favorite genres of music to listen to and perform! Our latest featured playlist on Spotify is "Top Reggae Hits", and it’s the perfect collection of songs to listen and relax to:
TOP REGGAE HITS:
One Day - Matisyahu
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley & The Wailers
I Can See Clearly Now - Jimmy Cliff
One Love - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Red Red Wine - UB40
Welcome To Jamrock - Damian Marley
Sunshine - Matisyahu
Pressure Drop - Toots & The Maytals
Beautiful - Damian Marley, Bobby Brown
Many Rivers To Cross - Jimmy Cliff
Waiting In Vain - Bob Marley & The Wailers
I Shot The Sheriff - The Wailers
Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Israelites - Desmond Dekker
Get Up, Stand Up - The Wailers
The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff
Jamming - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Kingston Town - UB40
Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Baby, I Love Your Way - Big Mountain, Tom Lord-Alge
No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Pesta Pantai - Tony Q Rastafara
Stylish Details Events - Wedding Planner
Our friends at Stylish Details Wedding and Event Design know how to produce incredible events! This Southern California-based company serves brides and grooms across Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs and more destination locations!
AMFM had the pleasure of performing at a wedding this dream team designed at Greystone Manor and the details were not to be missed:
Learn more about Stylish Details by visiting their website www.stylishdetailsevents.com.
Playlist: Latin Favorites
Downbeat artists and DJ’s perform a wide range of music genres to suit every taste and style, including Latin music! To liven up any party, check out our latest "Latin Favorites" playlist on Spotify:
LATIN FAVORITES:
Suavamente - Elvis Crespo
Suavecito - Malo
Bailando - Enrique Iglesias, Descemer Bueno
Listen to hear more!
TruBlu + Monarch Beach Resort
Jazz band TruBlu is highly sought after by high-end brands and companies that want to take their events to the next level. The group’s jazz instrumentalists recently traveled to Orange County’s luxury Monarch Beach Resort to perform at a private event for Oribe. Whether it’s as a trio, quartet or full band with the crooner female and male singers, TruBlu makes a statement:
If you're looking for live entertainment for your dream wedding or next special event, CLICK HERE to receive your free quote. To see and hear more from jazz band TruBlu, visit their artist page here.
Romantic Valentine's Day Date Ideas
Happy Valentine’s Day! Make your significant other feel celebrated with these romantic Valentine’s Day date ideas:
1. Take in the arts!
2. Stay in and cook a meal together!
3. Dress up and treat yourselves to dinner!
4. Make it an al fresco affair!
5. Dance the night away!
Photo Credits: Brooke Cagle, Chris Gramly, La Crema Winery, and Quentin Dr Photgraphy
Playlist: Wedding Grand Entrance Favorites
Wedding days are made up of so many memorable moments, and the bride and groom’s grand entrance to the reception is one of them! It’s traditional for the entire bridal party to be announced, and your band or DJ should be prepared with music to accompany them as they enter. Downbeat put together a "Wedding Grand Entrance Favorites" playlist on Spotify, listen below:
WEDDING GRAND ENTRANCE FAVORITES:
Feel It Still - Portugal The Man
Glorious - Macklemore Skylar Grey
Mi Gente - J Balvin, Willy William
Listen to hear more!
Afters Ice Cream - Dessert Vendor
We love when couples get creative with wedding day desserts, and Afters Ice Cream is a dessert vendor we love seeing at weddings and events! This California-based innovative ice cream company serves over 20 locations and their Instagram-worthy creations are even more delicious than they look!
For more information about the delicious dessert vendor Afters Ice Cream, visit their website at www.aftersicecream.com.
Soultones + The Meritage Resort (Napa)
Soultones loved performing at The Meritage Resort in Napa Valley.
Interested in booking live entertainment for your next special event or dream wedding? CLICK HERE for a free quote! See and hear more from dance band Soultones by visiting their artist page here.
Top Wedding Recessional Songs (Playlist)
The processional walk down the aisle may be one of the most anticipated moments for a couple on their wedding day, but it’s important not to overlook the significance of the recessional as well! After the “I Do’s”, make your first walk down the aisle together as newlyweds count by choosing a celebratory song to accompany you.
We’ve put together some favorites in our "Top Wedding Recessional Songs" playlist on Spotify, listen below:
TOP WEDDING RECESSIONAL SONGS:
Rather Be - Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne
Firework - Katy Perry
Best of My Love - The Emotions
Marry You - Bruno Mars
All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) - Stevie Wonder
You Make My Dreams - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Valerie - Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse
Love Never Felt so Good - Michael Jackson, Justin Timerlake
Take On Me - a-ha
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
I'm So Excited - The Pointer Sisters
Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader
Hey Ya! - OutKast
Happy - Pharrell Williams
New LA Wedding Venues for 2018
Los Angeles is full of incredible event spaces to suit any need, and venuereport.com reporter Alyssa Brown recently published a collection of brand new wedding venues to watch out for across the city in 2018:
1. Valentine
“DTLA’s newest events space can be rented independently or in collab with next door neighbor Grass Room, lending its space for an event of up to 750 guests. Valentine is reminiscent of a greenhouse, with 30 foot high glass ceilings and tons of lush greenery.”
2. Grass Room
“Grass Room is a quirky, artsy space located in DTLA that can be easily dressed up or down depending on your vibe. It sits just beside Valentine and the two venues combined can accommodate an event of up to 750 guests, moving through multiple indoor and outdoor spaces and a hidden alleyway too.”
3. Freehand Los Angeles
“The newcomer to LA, Freehand offers a wide variety of party, event and wedding spaces for the discerning event host. Choose from a party pad in a loft suite, in one of the restaurants, at the poolside bar or in another of the outdoor settings.“
4. Office Party
“When the brilliant team behind YEAH! Rentals (see also YEAH! Furniture, YEAH! Weddings, The Flashdance, Smilebooth, and Sharkpig) announced they were opening a venue last year, we knew it would be good but didn’t know it would be this good. Office Party is a massive Highland Park loft space with huge vaulted ceilings (think 30’), cement floors, really good natural light, and a modular setup that makes events easy to customize.”
5. Kim Sing Theater
“A classic LA story, the Kim Sing has walked a life as a vaudeville theater, zoot suit riot house, Kung Fu theater, event venue, and now, a micro-hotel to retire to when the party has ended. Reopened in Autumn 2017 to cater to the luxury crowd, this spot is as exclusive as it is lauded with LA lore.”
AMFM + Millwick
Any opportunity to perform at a Los Angeles Marvimon property is a dream, and AMFM’s recent wedding at Millwick was no exception. The garden ceremony was followed by drinks and dinner held between the indoor and outdoor settings. The party finally got underway when the band kicked off their dance set and kept wedding guests dancing all night.
If you're looking for live entertainment for your next special event or dream wedding, CLICK HERE to receive your free quote. To see and hear more from dance band AMFM, visit their artist page here.
Modern Wedding Processional Songs (Playlist)
The wedding processional is a very special moment during the big day ceremony. Traditionally accompanied by an organ or string quartet playing classical songs, the music selection during this part of the ceremony helps amplify the moment’s significance.
It’s fun to think outside of the box and choose songs that are important to you, even if they break away from tradition. Follow Downbeat LA’s "Modern Wedding Processional Songs" playlist on Spotify for unique picks or listen below to find your best soundtrack for walking down the aisle:
MODERN WEDDING PROCESSIONAL SONGS
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova
Your Hand In Mine - Explosions in The Sky
River - Leon Bridges
Sparks - Coldplay
Till Forever - Joy Williams
Wild Horses - The Sundays
How Long Will I Love You - Ellie Goulding
Skinny Love - Birdy
You and I - Ingrid Michaelson
What Kind of Love - Childish Gambino
I Know Places - Lykke Li
Sweet Creature - Harry Styles
Latch (Acoustic) - Sam SMith
Wanted - Hunter Hayes
I Choose You - Sara Bareilles
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
With You - Waxahatchee
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
All of Me - John Legend
Make You Feel My Love - Adele
Marry Me - Train
Can't Help Falling In Love - Haley Reinhart
Why I Love You - MAJOR.
She Is Love - Parachute
Sajna - A.R. Rahman
Vendor Spotlight- SoHappi Together
California is a dream wedding destination, and a local event design and planning company we absolutely love working with is So Happi Together. Downbeat LA has had the pleasure of performing at weddings this team has designed across Southern California and they have all been incredible. Not only are they fun and easy to work with, but the beautiful, custom weddings they design speak for themselves.
Take a look at some of their most weddings below:
Founder and Principal Planner, Nancy Park, has a rockstar team and philosophy in place to ensure every client gets a the perfect custom experience for their wedding day:
"Our philosophy is that phenomenal parties are a result of purposeful planning. The unique identities and stories of our clients inspire the design of our events. No two are alike! Together, we orchestrate a day that harmoniously reflects your style, vision, taste, and love. We adore personal details and the challenge to creatively incorporate them into your day! From ballrooms to barnyards, we love it all as long as it speaks to and about you!" - So Happi Together
To learn more about So Happi Together and see more of their work from previous weddings, visit their website at www.sohappitogether.com
Wedding Ceremony Instrumentals Playlist
It's important to create a welcoming atmosphere as guests arrive to your wedding ceremony. The perfect way to set the tone while everyone is greeting one another and taking their seats is to have live or prerecorded instrumentals playing in the background. Whether it's classical music or string arrangements of contemporary songs, you can't go wrong!
Our "Wedding Ceremony Instrumentals" playlist is ready to accompany any wedding ceremony. Take a listen below and be sure to follow Downbeat on Spotify for more wedding day music inspiration:
Top Five Wedding Style Ideas
One of the first steps to planning a wedding is deciding on a wedding style, which is simply deciding how you want your celebration to look and feel. A certain aesthetic might be built in to the venue or location, but your wedding style should be a reflection of your personal taste and preference because, after all, it's your day!
We've listed the Top Five Wedding Style Ideas to spark inspiration for the big day:
1. VINTAGE GLAMOUR
2. BOHEMIAN
3. RUSTIC ROMANCE
4. CLASSIC ELEGANCE
5. MODERN CHIC
