Posts Tagged ‘Sacramento Weddings’

The Couple:  Brittany Gregory and Jordan Banning

Wedding Date:  May 27, 2012

Photography by Shoop’s Photography

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Jordan and I are high school sweethearts. We have been together for 11 years! We grew up and still live in Folsom. Jordan is the head JV coach at Folsom High School, I am a real estate agent. It is a little cliché, but it’s perfect for us. We are so blessed.

What was the most amazing part of your day?  The whole day was AMAZING!! Having my mom walk me down the aisle and having my grandfather marry us will remain one of the most special moments in our lives.

Also, walking into the reception together for the first time and seeing all of our close family and friends in one room, there to celebrate with us, was definitely a feeling we will remember forever.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  Our wedding turned out better than we could have ever imagined. We enjoyed every part of it! We are so grateful to everyone who was there to support us.

Ceremony Site & Reception Venue & Caterer & Cake:  Wine & Roses Hotel.Restaurant.Spa

Photographer:  Shoop’s Photography

Flowers:  Bride’s Mom, Grandma and Friends

Favors:  Groom’s Mom and Aunt

Wedding Dress:  La Soie Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses:  De La Rosa’s Bridal & Tuxedos

Hair:  Jillian Davis

Makeup:  DIY

Invitations:  DIY

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  DJ Alazzawi from 102.5 Events

Photo Booth:  PhotoBash

Honeymoon location:  Honua Kai Resort Maui, HI

First Dance Song:  “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. 

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Two words…Photo Booth! We are so glad we decided to get one. It was so much fun for everyone. After the wedding was over, Jordan and I were dying of laughter looking at the pictures. A little wine, a few costumes and a camera makes for some pretty hilarious pictures.

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  Nothing. Honestly! It was a perfect and magical day.

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.

Photos courtesy of and copyright Shoop’s Photography.

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The Couple:  Sofia and Blake E. Lim

Wedding Date:  May 27, 2012

Photography by The Studio

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Blake and I started dating about six years ago. At the time we started dating, I had decided to go back to school to get my degree. I went back full time while maintaining my full-time job as well. For five years he picked me up at school and had dinner ready for me every night. He proposed the day of my graduation in front of my family. He is the most caring and nicest man I know.

What was the most amazing part of your day?  Walking down the aisle to my husband.

What else would you like to share about your big day?  It was the perfect weather. I’m from Peru and I only have two siblings here. I had many uncles and aunts that came from all over the world — Canada, Peru, Colombia, New York, Washington, Hawaii, etc. — to celebrate our happy day. Also, my wonderful grandma was able to come from Canada and my mom was here from Peru for the first time ever. Also, my in-laws gifted us with the wedding of our dreams. My husband’s grandpa who had been ill for a while made it to the wedding. He passed a couple of months after but we were so happy he made it to our wedding.

Ceremony Site, Reception Venue & Caterer:  Croatian American Cultural Center

Photographer:  The Studio

Cake:  Ettore’s European Bakery and Restaurant

Flowers:  Fresh Floral

Favors:  We did a candy bar.

Wedding Dress & Bridesmaid Dresses:  House of Fashion

Hair & Makeup:  I Make Beautiful/Makeup by Jenifer Haupt

Invitations:  Family Custom

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  Fretty’s Disc Jockey & Limousine Service. He was awesome!

Drummer:  Justin Barnes. This was a great way to make the wedding different.

String Quartet:  Camellia String Quartet

Photo Booth:  Perfect Pixel

Honeymoon location:  Costa Rica

Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out?  Rev. Bob Oshita from Sacramento Buddhist Church. My husband and I are not very religious, and Rev. Bob was perfect for us. He met with us four times prior to the wedding. He asked us to write letters to each other with specific indications. The day of the wedding he read excerpts from our letters — it was beautiful.

First Dance Song:  “Lucky” by Jason Mraz

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Relax and enjoy the day. All that matters are the good memories you create surrounded by your love ones.

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  I wish I would have asked my photographer to go around the table and take pictures with the guests.

I would like to mention that I was very lucky. All of my vendors were excellent. My DJ was so funny and kept the dance floor full the whole time. The Studio was very patient and nice and took beautiful pictures. Everybody still talks about how talented my drummer was. I can’t believe he did not have the music list prior to the wedding but he was able to play to the beat of the music. I Make Beautiful/Makeup by Jenifer Haupt was great! She even let my bridesmaid use her products. The venue was spectacular. It was ready to go at 11:00 a.m. and my wedding wasn’t until 5 p.m. Everyone said that my photo booth people were very friendly and nice. My cake was delicious. The Camellia String Quartet was beautiful. Everyone was excellent! It was the most fun wedding I’ve ever been to!

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.

Photos courtesy of and copyright The Studio.

Check out the Real Weddings Contest Page! Great bridal loot for real Sacramento-area brides!

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The Couple:  Kelly Twibell and Mike Sanchez

Wedding Date:  August 24, 2012

Photography by Teresa K Photography

How did you meet your fiancé?  Mike and I met online. On our first date we found out that we lived only three blocks away from each other. It’s funny how the Internet brings people — even neighbors — together.

How was the question popped?  Mike asked me to marry him on Valentine’s Day. He was a trooper and went out with me to get a pedicure. When we got home, he brought out a big wrapped box. Ever the curious person, I shook the box before I opened it. It was heavy, and I said, jokingly, “Oh, boy! Another something for our kitchen (an inside joke)!”

I opened the box and found inside several wrapped packages. The first was a large, red wooden letter ‘K.’ The next was the letter ‘M.’ The final letter was ‘S.’ I looked up at Mike in disbelief, and paused before saying, “Is this for our last name (Sanchez)?” “If you want it to be,” he said with a smile. I looked down in the box one more time and saw a little box. Mike then grabbed the box from me and got down on one knee. The rest is what brings us here today.

As a side note, I had given Mike a hard time the night before, assuming he didn’t have anything exciting planned for the holiday. Let’s just say I felt pretty taken aback, and slightly foolish. I feel very lucky to have such a kind, and loving fiancé.

What type of wedding are you planning? Dish all the details!  We felt it was important to plan a wedding that reflected us as a couple. This meant taking some time to really figure out the who, what, where and how. We love Sacramento; it’s where we met and plan to stay. We knew we wanted something that reflected the city and its history.

We decided on holding the ceremony and reception at Courtyard D’Oro in Old Sacramento. Mike and I fell in love with the brick courtyard and surrounding buildings. For the ceremony we decided to emphasize family and friends through different roles. Instead of a formal bridal party, we have our nieces serving as bridal attendants. One of my best friends will officiate the ceremony and several other close friends will play music, sing songs and read selected poems.

The reception is a bit untraditional; instead of a Champagne toast we are having margarita shooters and instead of cake we are having a variety of cupcakes from Busy Bees Cupcakery and scoops of ice cream from Gunther’s Ice Cream. Our family and friends love to dance! We cannot wait to get down under the outdoor lights to DJ Raymond’s tunes, from Perfect Sounds. And, because I love a little playing with fire, I insisted on sparklers to close the night.

Mike and I are also looking forward to our family brunch the next day. We love, love, love Mexican food, so we decided to book Chando’s Tacos. I also wanted to highlight another Sacramento favorite—Marie’s Donuts! We will have a large selection of tasty donuts to help round out the day after feast.

If money were no object, what would be your one splurge at your wedding?  I already decided to “splurge” on an amazing photographer and make-up artist. I wanted someone to capture the memorable moments, and since I am generally the one who does make-up for my friends’ special events, I wanted someone to take care of me so I could sit back and relax and savor the day.

Both Teresa, from Teresa K Photography, and Christi, of Christi Reynolds Professional Make-up, have been amazing! I trust their expertise and value their attentive approach.

Are there any questions you would like to ask other engaged couples, newlyweds or wedding vendors? Ask them here and readers will leave comments for you below!  I am pretty decisive person, so I feel pretty great about the choices Mike and I have made for our wedding. But I am undecided about a photo booth. Any thoughts?

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Social Media Maven, Aimee Carroll.

Photos courtesy of and copyright Teresa K Photography.

Check out the Real Weddings Contest Page! Great bridal loot for real Sacramento-area brides!

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Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!

This week, we highlight Mark Triebwasser, President and CEO of Stage 1, Inc.! If you’ve got big ideas for your wedding, the team at Stage 1, Inc. will make it happen! Whatever you can dream up is fair game with their talents, experience and diverse inventory of equipment. Take it away, Mark…

Stage 1, Inc.

Tell us a little about your company?  Stage 1, Inc. is a theatrical lighting and staging contractor company that provides theatrical and event equipment for the entertainment and wedding industries. Our divisions are Lighting, Rigging and Staging and our services are Rentals, System Integration, Service and Labor. We are based in Folsom and we service all of California and Nevada.

When did you establish your business?  February 2004

What sets you apart from your competition?  Stage 1, Inc. is setting a new standard for others to follow with its current, innovative, cutting edge, elaborate and elegant lighting design concepts. From masterminding custom built stages over bodies of water to rigging theatrical equipment in places others wouldn’t think of or try to do, Stage 1, Inc. is the market’s fastest growing Theatrical Contractor Company.

In the last eight years our hallmarks have proven that our “Think Outside the Box” process gives our clients the most unique, passionate, elegant and breath taking design concepts ever seen in the area. Anybody can put up a couple of lights on a wall and a couple pattern lights on a dance floor and say they do lighting, along with the plethora of other services they offer. But by specializing and offering only three trades that strictly revolve around entertainment lighting systems; this insures the highest quality of work that’s provided to our clients, along with our resources and talents not being spread too thin, and on trades we don’t know best. Stage 1 is solely a lighting, rigging and staging contractor company for the entertainment industry. It’s what we do every day, it’s the ONLY thing we do, and it’s what we always have done. And, we are dang good at it too.

We know the importance of customer service, professionally maintained equipment, safety and after hours support. That is why that is all embedded into our vision and our mission statement. Stage 1 will always deliver more than what we promise and treat each client like you are our only client. Our slogan says it all, “Large Company Service, Small Business Feel,” and that is what separates us from the competition.

Where do you find inspiration?  From many different various applications and things. One thing I learned from commanding an entire military school when I was 18 years old is that you don’t share command. If I told you where I find all my inspiration then that’s like me telling how we stay ahead of the competition.

What trend do you see coming for weddings this year?  We are getting more and more calls for clear stages being built over pools. The stage gets used as the dance floor for the entire wedding and clients can have the water whatever color they want. This is a very innovative idea that is becoming more and more popular for both weddings on private properties and at regular wedding venues that have pools.

Do you regularly blog? If so, what’s your blog site?  We just launched our new web site on July 1st and there is a blog feature that our CMO will be doing monthly posts on equipment reviews, upcoming and current projects, industry news, company press and newly added equipment in our rental inventory… topics like that. Visit our blog at stage1sac.com/about-s1/blog

Do you Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? Google+?  Yes! Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/stage1sac

What’s your favorite comment/compliment that one of your clients has given you?  It’s pretty much the same comment/compliment that we get from just about all our clients — they come up and say I now finally realize what your slogan really means…“Large Company Service, Small Business Feel.” They also comment on how they were glad they chose an actual lighting/staging contractor company and that they truly can see and experience how that was the right decision. Because we have such a large, diverse inventory of equipment and because we are only providing one service and not two or three others, it allows us to be extremely innovative and creative in really making our clients vision and dream become a reality.

What’s your favorite local restaurant?  Sienna in El Dorado Hills and Paul Martin’s American Bistro in Roseville… best happy hour cocktails/appetizers for a great price and it goes until 7 p.m.!

What’s your favorite local charity?  Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. Learn more at sierratrails.org.

What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?  Wine tasting in Napa Valley.

Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it?  Sea salt chocolate and red wine.

Do you have any hidden talents?  If I told you they wouldn’t be hidden anymore now would they?!

If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you?  The food, the entertainment and the overall atmosphere and ambiance. People will always remember the food, and if they have had a good time or not.

What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today?  You have to have lighting at your wedding. It’s like that last splash of paint you need to complete your masterpiece. Without it, it won’t be fully complete! There is a reason why all of the top and famous wedding coordinators in the entire country are all using lighting at their weddings and events. And there is a reason why they are using actual lighting companies to facilitate it all.

Anything else you’d like to share with Real Weddings Magazine’s brides?  Check out our all new Web site: stage1sac.com.

Find out more about Mark and his team at Stage 1, Inc. by visiting their Web site, blog and Facebook page!

Photos courtesy of Stage 1, Inc.

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The Couple:  Alissa and Michael Koeth

Wedding Date:  September 25, 2011

Photography by True Love Photo

Tell us a little about you and your beloved:  Michael and I dated for almost 10 years before tying the knot. We were high school sweethearts, who started dating at the ages of 16 and 15. Michael got down on one knee while on a vacation at Disneyland, in front of Snow White’s Wishing Well!

What was the most amazing part of your day?  Every single moment on our wedding day was magical. Wine & Roses is such a beautiful, classy venue — we were treated like royalty throughout the whole experience with them. The venue was incredible, the food was absolutely wonderful, everything went off perfectly. The most amazing part, however, had to be sharing every magical moment with my husband.

Ceremony Site & Reception Venue & Caterer & Cake:  Wine & Roses Hotel, Restaurant & Spa

Photographer:  True Love Photo

Videographer:  Bonetti Videography

Wedding Planner:  Libby Siino

Flowers:  Barsotti Florist

Favors:  Toffee

Wedding Dress:  La Soie Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses:  Nordstrom

Hair:  Tina Abbay of Hair by Design

Makeup:  Brenda Azevedo of Just B Cosmetics

Invitations:  Privately designed by graphic artist, Crystal Freitas

DJ/Entertainment/Band:  Fretty’s Disc Jockey and Limousine Service

Photo Booth:  Mag Booth

Honeymoon location:  Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Any other of your wedding vendor(s) you’d like to call out?  We were so lucky to have the best vendors out there. I can’t express enough gratitude to all of them for helping make our wedding day so perfect!

First Dance Song:  “My Endless Love” by Finn and Rachel from Glee

Any advice you’d give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?  Enjoy the time you have planning your wedding — it is such a special time in ones’ life and the day goes by so quickly…cherish every single moment!

Anything that you would have done differently if you were given the chance?  Not a thing, our wedding day was absolutely perfect!

Photos courtesy of True Love Photo.

Check out the Real Weddings Contest Page! Great bridal loot for real Sacramento-area brides!

Subscribe to the Real Weddings Magazine Blog!