An Orange County Wedding

I had a wonderful time with all my men at home these last ten days and I have to admit it’s a challenge to sit down at the computer when the feeling of summer is beckoning.

It began in earnest this past weekend with the beautiful wedding of our best friends’ son at their gorgeous home.

shady canyon wedding

The flowers were breathtaking.  Decanters full of them.  Everywhere.

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

More breathtaking than the flowers, the beautiful bride.

shady canyon wedding

The emotions of our friends, the groom’s parents, had me tearing up and caused my camera to shake!

shady canyon wedding

After the ceremony we all congregated in this beautiful area for cocktails and appetizers!

shady canyon wedding

While the area began to fill up, I decided to sneak up to the balcony to take some photos of the guests.

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

Oops!  I’ve been found out!

shady canyon wedding

The father of the groom looking quite dapper.

shady canyon wedding

We were escorted to the lawn to dine and to welcome the new Mr. & Mrs.

shady canyon wedding

The warm Southern California coastal weather, without a cloud in the sky, made the evening absolutely perfect.

shady canyon wedding

My table is the one farthest back.  My date for the past 30 years, is the, ahem, strawberry blonde.  What was extra special about this wedding was that it brought back memories of being in my friend’s and her husband’s wedding 35 years ago and she, being the Matron-of-Honor in ours!  The Tri-Delta force of sisterhood is strong.  Sarah Ida Shaw, the founder, would’ve been proud.  The bride happened to have been a Tri-Delta at USC too!  What are the odds of that?  Amazing!

shady canyon wedding

I originally asked to be seated up on the pool terrace with the Delts, the represented USC fraternity, but my friend said, “NO!” Kill joy.  😉

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

But they really had the best view.

shady canyon wedding

From the pool terrace as the sun was setting –

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

These two were in the wedding ceremony and were now running around the terrace.  I asked them if I could take their picture and they quickly sat down with their hands in their laps without any coaching.  Pros.  So sweet.  Look at those little punums! (cheek pinch)

shady canyon wedding

shady canyon wedding

I know this photo is terribly out of focus but I love it anyways.  Brothers.  Oh gosh, I remember going to see them in the hospital when they were born.  Wow!

shady canyon wedding

Now you won’t believe this, I’m still in shock myself, but I didn’t see the wedding cake, the dessert table styling, my best friend dancing with her son (unforgivable) or the garter dance (apparently the groom had to do a little dance and “work it” for the garter), bouquet toss, etc!!!

Where was I?  I was at THE best table where Bill and Steve found our own private reserve and where we were all so engrossed in conversation and having such a good time I didn’t even notice half of our table had left and the area was pretty empty!  I had to go on Instagram and look at the page with the wedding’s hash tag, #ganwedding2014, to see if someone had posted a photo.  Thankfully, they did!  A cake by the Sweet and Saucy Shop?  C’mon!  Still can’t believe I missed the display first-hand but the cake was delicious.

As the party revved up, I tried to get a few more shots of the wedding décor and I was photo bombed!

shady canyon wedding

So I told the guys ‘okay, get on in there’!

shady canyon wedding

Then another one came in…

shady canyon wedding

With my memory card full at this late hour it was time to find my pointy leopard print shoes I left under the table and head home.

But not ever wanting the party to fully end, my hubby and I came back to the scene of the bash on Monday and replayed all the wonderful details with our friends over pizza and vino under the Chardonnay vines.  Finally, the pool terrace!

shady canyon wedding

Also of note were these floral arrangements at the rehearsal dinner. How gorgeous were they?  Love!  By Jennifer at Posh Petals.

rehearsal dinner flowers shady canyon wedding

rehearsal dinner flowers shady canyon wedding

Hope you enjoyed being a virtual guest!

Next up… cupcakes for Father’s Day!

A Bridal Shower Styling for Shutterfly and so much more

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Wedding Dress Decorated Cookies For A Bridal Shower

wedding dress decorated cookies

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Bridal Shower Gifts and Wrapping Ideas

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A Vineyard Wedding – Part 3

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A Vineyard Wedding ~ Part 2

out of towners wedding favors

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A Vineyard Wedding in Sedona

vineyard wedding cookie favors

I had the honor of designing and creating decorated cookies for a beautiful vineyard wedding in Sedona this past weekend. My time in the kitchen was made even more special since it was my nephew’s wedding. I love making cookies for people I know (and love). I think of them the entire time from sketch to the tying of the ribbon. How lucky can a baker girl and auntie get? The destination wedding location was unique and lovely and not… [Read More]

The Anniversary Recap

With over 150 cookies to still decorate for this week, half of them needing to be finished by tomorrow and the other half by Wednesday, I expected to have celebrated my anniversary in the kitchen with a few pastry bags but my sweet groom surprised me by heading out early to buy me my favorite misto accompanied with flowers and a very sweet card telling me he had made reservations for dinner at one of my happiest place on earth,… [Read More]

Cookie Blockage

This is where I am today. This is where I’ve been all week. I’m second guessing all my design possibilities for a vineyard wedding. The save-the-date announcement was decorated with a wine bottle cork so I thought I would tie the cookies into the theme. The cookies will be attached to the front of the out-of-town baskets. No pressure to be front and center! The creative process has not exactly been flowing as smoothly as thinned royal icing. I started… [Read More]

Jennifer’s Wedding

wedding cookies favors bridal shower cookies

It was a lovely day.The day before I had finished making 140 wedding cookies for my niece, but you might have already known that. On Saturday, as we were leaving for the ceremony, I received a call from the father of the bride. “Where are you?” Three little words at the beginning of a conversation that always makes your heart beat faster.Seems the florist came and left before the bakery dropped off the cake so there was no one to… [Read More]