AMA Presents: Best Moments of 2011

      What a difference a year makes and it’s been an amazing one to say the least. Not just for me, but for A Monique Affair. This year I saw many of my new ideas come to life. We saw the birth of our amazing new LGBT feature “EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements”, we took the reins at the Same Sex Union Lounge for the Something Old, Something New Wedding Expo, and even went through a re-branding. On this last Friday of 2011 I want to take a moment to recap A Monique Affair’s greatest moments of the year. Sit back, relax and enjoy a stroll down memory lane. I would also like to take a moment to wish you a healthy and safe New Year. Here’s to a year filled with new adventures and new ideas.

1. Smooth Criminal Murder Mystery Party. Turning 40 this past February was not easy, but what I can tell you is that it brought much success, especially in business. This party was particularly dear to my heart because of my love for MJ and theme parties. I wanted to create a party that was fun, thematic and had a unique signature. In the end it was all I’d hoped, plus my guests couldn’t stop telling me what a great time they’d had. If you couldn’t be there, recap what you missed right here.

2. Something Old, Something New Wedding Expo. One of my goals this year was to up my involvement in the LGBT community. Finding a way to better support this community of individuals to whom marriage is very serious business. In July, one way I got to contribute was to take the lead at the Same Sex Union Lounge and show the industry that our expertise can break through many boundaries. The lounge was a huge success, to review the details check out our feature here and here.

3. AMA Gets a Make-Over. When you own and run your own business it’s really important to keep in tune with changing trends, make sure your look is fresh, and that your brand reflects your business goals. This year I saw the transformation of A Monique Affair. We updated our website, added more features, services and packages, if you haven’t already, make sure you check out our website, but revisit our big reveal announcement here.

4. EnGAYged Weddings & Engagements. As I mentioned earlier, one of my main goals this year was to find a way to become more involved with marriages in the LGBT community. One way I did that was with the development of EnGAYged in which we share the weddings and engagements of members of the LGBT community and which we launched on our site in August. We’ve gotten a great response and hope that the future brings more involvement, check out our announcement and some of our past blogs here and here.  

5. Re-Launch Party. In September we celebrated our re-launch, unveiled our website and mingled with friends at the Swarm Gallery in Oakland. I have to admit I had butterflies at first, but it went well; the crowd was intimate and all in all a huge success. Here’s what you missed that day.

6. A Monique Affair Ties the Knot. In October of this year I crossed a major milestone when I had the opportunity to wed my soul mate Stephanie Daniels. We had an amazing and intimate celebration at The Brazilian Room in Berkeley, California. I’m still glowing from the entire affair. We had a blast and we still keep hearing what a great time our guests had. To recap the details read our feature here. It’s been a good year to say the least.

AMA Talks Menus with Royal Raspberry

     It’s long been said that when planning a wedding, the biggest part of the process is figuring out what food to serve. You want it to reflect what you like as a couple, but you also want to satisfy and impress the guests. Food is important to any occasion because it nourishes us and keeps us happy. In keeping with the subject of food, A Monique Affair caught up with Debbie Pfisterer of boutique catering company Royal Raspberry to talk shop about planning your wedding menu. Sit back and enjoy this great interview jam packed with amazing information. If we’ve piqued your interest and would like to contract Royal Raspberry’s services, you can find out all about them at: www.royalraspberry.com.

AMA:  When a bride sets out to plan her menu, what should she keep in mind and how would you advise her to achieve a well balanced menu?

RR: The bride should definitely keep in mind what she and her fiancé absolutely love when it comes to food. I personally like to ask about their favorite restaurant and the types of foods they like to eat. This gives us a really good place to start. Of course, if they know the likes of their guests, for instance if they have a lot of vegetarians or vegans, or family from certain regions like the East Coast who love meat and several courses, then it’s possible to work that into the menu. We provide the groundwork for the well-balanced part. We'll make sure there's a little bit of everything for everyone, taking into consideration food allergies and special diets, of course.

AMA:  How many tastings should a bride sit through with one caterer before making the decision to hire?

RR: Only one tasting. The purpose of the tasting is for the bride to get familiar with "how" we create food.  If a chef can cook a really great tasting and tender tri tip for example, then he certainly can cook a filet or prime rib as well.  The bride will also be able to get a feel for how the chef uses spices, herbs and salt (if everything is over-salted, that's drowning out the flavors) and she can have conversations with the chef about how she likes her food prepared and seasoned.  After she tastes the food (and loves it), she can always taste other dishes she may have questions about, but that's the exception.

AMA: It's been said that the catering is the most expensive part of a wedding, can you offer brides any tips to achieving a lavish low cost wedding meal?

 RR: Well, the catering involves so much more than just a dinner and this is the reason it gets pricey. Just the dinner alone runs at about the same price as the staffing (per person), add the rentals (linens, glassware, china, flatware, furniture, lighting set-up) and that can equal a hefty chunk.  Buffets are the least expensive type of meal, but not the classiest, yet there are ways to dress it up.  To make it more upscale, she may choose to add a seated salad (served at the table) with the buffet. 

AMA: Are there any current food trends Royal Raspberry is raving about?

RR: The most popular item on our menu right now is the tomato soup shot with mini grilled cheese pannini. Fusion menus are also a new trend and fun to plan. There has been an increase in multiracial couples recently, which is a beautiful thing from a menu’s perspective, especially because you can use each culture’s staple foods to create a very unique menu. This is definitely our favorite trend, because it's challenging, and we have fun coming up with a menu that really means something to the couple. We are also digging the “new” champagne cocktail bar which includes pink and regular champagne with a do-it- yourself style selection of raspberries, cherries, mint, lemons and other fun things to put in a champagne glass that look and taste awesome!

AMA: What sets Royal Raspberry apart from all the other caterers?

RR: I think it’s that our service is top of the line in every way. Our staff is wonderful and we love them dearly. Our business ethics are down to earth and we take pride in our values. However let’s talk about the two most important things. The first is that we take care to listen to our brides and we aim to give them exactly what they want. This doesn't mean it is super expensive.  It means if they want a dance floor in the middle and a vegetarian menu, we'll be sure that's what they get. The second is, our food tastes great! Our clients repeatedly tell us that their guests rave about our food.  From grandma's macaroni and cheese (we often re-create family recipes), to our signature balsamic grilled salmon, our food’s presentation is amazing and the taste is even more outstanding, which leaves our clients and their guests with a good feeling!

AMA: You recently worked on an event planner’s wedding (my own), what was it like to work with someone from the same industry?

I must preface this question by stating first of all that Chanda Eddens-Daniels is not your everyday event planner. Like most event planners (you especially) are ultra organized, super high energy and a dream to work with as a bride and a planner.  I have to say, after doing events for 20 years, I was nervous signing on to your wedding because you knew exactly what you wanted and it was a different look than what we’d done before. The quintessential moment for me however, was when you walked in the room and you screamed with joy at how beautiful it was. As far as the planning it, you really the took reins. I came away so inspired with the look that I've been showing all of my clients the photos because they're gorgeous! 

Best in Show

     The world has slowed down. Business is slower than usual, unless of course if you’re in the retail industry. Still, in the midst of my last minute scrambling I wanted to do a post to help further ring in the spirit. I want to wish all of A Monique Affair’s readers and followers a happiest holiday season and best cheers for the coming New Year. Today, just before we get ready to celebrate this great holiday with our closest friends and family, I wanted to give you some cheer by providing an inspiration board with awesome Christmas décor images. A little something to help put you in the spirit as you make your last minute alterations. Happy Holidays!



An Ode to the Dessert Table

      For as long as our ancestors have been around the practice of offering sweets at celebrations, special occasions or important milestones has been alive and vibrant. Confections provide us comfort; they serve as a conversation piece at parties, and bring us cheer during our greatest accomplishments. We all look forward to Christmas treats at our workplace, as we dream of cookies and chocolates and gingerbread houses. Being that we are in the middle of the season known for its sweet desserts, could be the reason that I have been attracted to dessert tables lately. We all know that when it comes to your wedding, engagement, shower, birthday, any event for that matter, the cake/dessert is very important. Guests very much look forward to this course. Over the years, events have gained notoriety and style. Event planners have gotten creative with displays, and adding "the dessert table" to the mix is a major way they’ve done that. And so today I want to make an ode to the dessert table and share some images with you that display the best in dessert displays. If you’ve got an event coming up consider incorporating a dessert table and take a look at these for inspiration on how to style it.



Holiday Table Settings

      The table is a very symbolic part of our holiday celebrations. It’s where we gather to make memories, to share a meal and to give thanks. Celebrations are celebrations because they are moments in which we eat, drink and enjoy the company of family and friends we sometimes only get to see during this time of year. Keeping with the spirit of the holidays, as they creep closer and closer, we prepare to exchange greetings and gifts. With that in mind and because it’s cold outside, I thought we should take a look at holiday table settings. If you are hosting Christmas dinner, consider these ideas to dress up your table and create an environment that your guests will never forget. I managed to gather some creative and amazing image ideas for your table settings. Some are easy while other are a lot more involved and over top. Chalk it up to inspiration with this idea board. I want to wish all of A Monique Affair’s readers and followers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

 

AMA Talks Wedding Music with DJ Jason Mitchell

     Music is an important and major part of our lives; I mean it sets the mood, livens the ambiance and get’s people moving. Music brings us together. It speaks to us during our favorite movie scenes, unifies us in flash mobs and brings us solace during meditation.  That doesn’t even begin to touch up on how important our wedding music is. I mean, what song should be the first dance song and should you go with traditional entrance music or do something a little closer to your personality. The sky is the limit when it comes to your music, so today we caught up with Bay Area DJ Jason Mitchell to talk all you need to know about booking music for your wedding.

AMA:   You've been called the DJ or MC of choice according to bridal magazines, top SF event planners, venues and fashion shows across the bay area, what would you say gives you that edge?

DJJM:   I really, really love people. I love people of all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, heritages and orientations. Bringing a different group of people together each night and getting them to have the time of their lives on the dance floor is an amazing experience and a wonderful challenge. I have the best job in the world. That said, it requires a complete commitment to your craft and always feeling like it will never be good enough. I love everything about DJin'! I’m constantly strivinge to take it to the next level. I've been very lucky to have some amazing mentors and peers in the industry who really push me to constantly improve.

AMA:   If a couple wants to contract your entertainment services, how far in advance do you recommend booking?

DJJM:   On average, we usually get about 5-9 people requesting our services per date, of course we can’t be at all those places at once, but it’s always worth checking in with us at various times. Sometimes things change and it’s never too late to check and see if your date is available. The trend across the industry last year was to book super late, with couples calling one to two weeks out. Next year appears to be very different and the calendar is filling in very early.

AMA:   Tell us about the whole music selection process, do you have a meeting with the couple to go over expectations?

DJJM:   First off, I LOVE my clients. I meet the most amazing people and get to share one of the most important days of their lives with them. Every client is unique, have different expectations and an availability to meet. Personally, I think two in-person meetings is ideal, as well as several telephone consults. I interact with my clients a lot on Facebook, they have the ability to see what I’m up to and sneak peeks into my work. This makes them very comfortable when their wedding arrives because they've already seen me do 20-40 weddings.

AMA:   How specific should a couple get about the type of music they want played at their reception/ceremony?

DJJM:   We get very specific on the ceremony music. Sometimes this takes a few minutes and sometimes is takes hours of listening to different tracks until you find the perfect match. Most of my clients are pretty progressive with their ceremony music, which I think is fantastic. For the reception we work within genres and want to create a sound that matches our clients and their guests. Creating a congruent match within the design theme of the wedding and venue is important as well. Weddings are a sensory experience of sight, smell, taste, emotion and sound. We really want the musical selections to enhance and complete the experience. The dance portion of the evening is generally where I ask my clients to be very flexible. I've developed a style and sound over the years which, is effective at filling the dance floor.

AMA:   What is the best part of your job or rather, the moment that is most rewarding for you?

DJJM:   I love, love, love, the dance portion of the evening. I'm constantly working on technique and there's nothing like people screaming at the top of their lungs when you mix in a new track in a creative fashion. It's the culmination of an incredible investment of time, energy, and capital by my clients and their vendors. You have to respect that and feel honored to be a part of it. It's what pushes you to really take it to the next level and make it memorable.

 AMA:  What was it like to work on an event planner’s wedding (my wedding)?

DJJM:   It was the best. It’s very flattering to be asked to work for someone who sees a hundred DJs every year and they choose you for their wedding. It's an honor that they trust you with their own wedding when you know they've got a thick rolodex of DJs to choose from. It is especially flattering when you haven't worked together in over a year and you're the one they call. It's also great to get to see an Event Planner design a wedding with all their tools, assets, connections, and experiences at their disposal. The results are very spectacular.

If you’re interested in contracting the services of DJ Jason Mitchell, find him on Facebook and check him out on SoundCloud.

Long Lasting Couples

       Laura Turbow Photography invites couples who have been together for over 50 years into her studio for a FREE mini- portrait session during the month of January. In exchange for a piece of marital advice, participating couples will receive a complimentary 8x10 fine art print. Photos will be part of a special Valentine’s Day slideshow. Contact Laura Turbow Photography for details and to schedule a session for the month of January.  

Contact:

Laura Turbow Photography
510.528.5555
laura@ltphoto.com
www.ltphoto.com

Tips to Finding the Perfect Wedding Planner

      Budget, budget, budget, it’s all about the budget these days. Planning a wedding isn’t already stressful enough, but now you have to worry about the state of the economy we’re in and how we ourselves need to cut corners. When it comes the most wonderful day of your life, when and where do you decide to the cut corners, do-it-yourself or simplify. A big trend these days has been to eliminate a planner from your gala all together, but you don’t understand how important it is to have one. Wedding planners have a certain edge, they are in tune with what available in their area. A good wedding planner will know all the best florists, caterers and reception halls and will usually have connections to them. It’s also really important to go with a planner who you feel comfortable with and even connected to, in terms of your vision. For today, let’s review some tips on what to look for when making the big decision.

1.      When meeting with prospective wedding planners, pay close attention to the way the way they greet you, if they’re dressed sharply and are on time. A good wedding planner will be very professional, will give you their honest opinion and won’t keep you waiting.

2.      The planners you meet with should be able to show you a portfolio of their work and services on day one. They should be able to talk raw numbers with you and give you a solid ball park figure.

3.      It’s okay to ask for a list of references. If you’re on the fence between two planners, it’s perfectly okay to ask for references and talk to past clients to find out what their experience was like.

4.      It’s okay to ask questions. Ask about day of rates and rates from start to finish, you should be well informed of all your options and your perspective wedding planner should have no problem answering all the questions you have.

5.     Go with your gut. This is the biggest day of your life and even if costs is slightly different, it’s a good idea to go with the planner that naturally makes you feel calm. She will play a big part on the day of, so you should feel 100% at ease.

Citrus Crush Dreams

     We live in a world of color. Everything brings color into our lives. I like to explore different color schemes because it’s such a big part of what I do. We shouldn’t be afraid of color and yet so many of us are. Today, because it’s really cold outside, I wanted to explore a color scheme that’s a bit tropical and a bit out of the ordinary for most. Orange, yellow and green can be strategically used together to make an elegant statement. As I was browsing some style trends this color scheme caught my eye. See, these colors together wouldn’t normally be my go-to colors, but I suddenly saw them in a new light and I’m hoping that you will too. You can go bright and loud or muted and pastel with this great color combination and you can dress it up even further by tossing in the orange, lemon and lime, citrus crush theme. I’m really digging this right now! As an inspiration I was able to gather some images to get my point across. Remember to add a little color, because life is too short to live it being dull.

Creative Décor

      In my last blog post, I had the pleasure of introducing you to Chloe’s Closet, a small collection of vintage items being made available by A Monique Affair to rent for your next big event. In that particular post, I discuss that while our items might just look like vases or dessert trays (with a little imagination), they are so much more. Here is where my inspiration for today’s blog came in. I began to think of ways to use conventional items in different ways then they were actually intended, to come up with cute design ideas. Among some of the items I found most fun were creative clothes pin designs, wine glasses flipped upside down to create centerpieces and even a chandelier turned into a cake holder display! Anything can work with a little imagination, a lot of the ideas also had a Do-It-Yourself edge think ribbons interwoven through chairs, chalkboard table runners and mini lamps (made by placing tea lights inside wine glasses). All the ideas were so divine and so where the images. Please enjoy this inspiration board and remember to stay true to your personality!