Malibu Nature Wedding, luxuriously green

Stephanie and Randal who were the first couple partying at the former horse arena at the Malibu Nature Preserve had an amazing time. The ocean view was spectacular especially from the lounge area in front of the tent. We got the locals, Malibu Party Rents to deliver white cotton sofas for a friendly price.



There's always that sports fan who can't do without the ball and the beer...


The local food was market fresh, the Martini mashed potato bar deliciously organic and the fish was sustainable.
The wine wasn't organic but local and brought in by the couple's parents.


Stephanie and her mom made the escort cards, orange paper flowers on long stems holding the cards. Guests hurried to take bunches of them home, they were too cool.



Uptown supplied their shiny metal bathrooms, it was powered by a bio diesel generator which was also used for the DJ and lighting by ELM Concierge.

From happy sunlight to saturated sunset colors into the star spangled night... the lighting was spectacular, nature is the best show, Elm's swirly out side effect were pretty cool too.



200 guests partied with one of the Nature Preserve's best DJ's, Gil Goren.

California Ranch Wedding, so eco-beautiful

Olivia and Andrew got married on Sunday, October 11, 2009. Their theme: "classy country with a touch of Shakespeare" resonated perfectly with the Upper Las Virgines Ranch in the hills of Calabasas, CA; the theme actually was born while strolling through the cozy property. The ranch was saved from big development in 2003. Over 1000 mature California oak trees were saved along with habitat for threatened California red-legged frogs, endangered Least Bell's vireos, endangered Southwestern willow flycatchers, and San Fernando Valley spineflower (once thought to be extinct). Money spent on the venue goes back to protecting nature, how much greener can you get?



We kept it eclectic with integrating the couple's lineages, the bag piper for Olivia, Persian music for Andrew, and their life style: wild flowers in vintage vases, Olivia and I patrolled dozens of thrift stores for six months, serving an all vegetarian menu with mostly organic and local ingredients presented family style and Argentinian Dulce de Leche cookies as they will live in Buenos Aires for half a year.


We tried our vintage vases on many designs and fell in love with the "garden toile" linen. Buying it in Downtown LA and without having it hemmed saves some cash but the best is: it's reusable for a long time. It turned out to be even more beautiful than we imagined under ancient oak trees and with our overhead retro lighting and bare light bulbs on Shepard hooks. (Olivia saved as I am the bargain hunter and got some bride share reduction for this one)
Guests lived the Provencale life accentuated by the delicious Croque en Bouche, called "Piece Monte" in France.





DJ Tony from "Good Times" brought his Congas and rocked the party until midnight.



Photographer Jared Iorio was complimented by everybody as being everywhere but felt like a friend not a stranger doing his job. Tip: use an up and coming photographer who gives you a deal as he wants to fill his portfolio. ( Jared's photos )
I am so happy to have chosen the perfect crew as not only Jared but Tony from Good Times and the Barrista from Intelligencia got to swing with this amazing community of life loving people. When the drums touched people's souls, Mary, Olivia's mom pulled me onto the dance floor .... Thanks to the embracing spirit of the Ranch's director Joan Pankratz and Maritza, her guard in uniform, even the supervision felt like part of the party.

Malibu Wedding with earth, wind and ocean

Maria and Joshua celebrated their ocean themed wedding at the Malibu Nature Preserve on Saturday, September 5, 2009. As a green wedding expert I can only recommend this beautiful nature site, which is not your typical groomed wedding venue but lends itself to all styles and ideas. The money for the venue goes back to preserving nature rather than into somebody's Hummer... I helped orchestrate Maria and Joshua's love for nature by orchestrating their idea to use the entire property: the couple wowed their guests with spectacular views from the ocean bluff during their ceremony, then let them experience the contrast of the woodsy the Sycamore lawn. Any mountain lions around?

The two power ladies, Maria and her mom, helped create the (local) flowers arrangements before the wedding. Joshua who loves to organize and be on top of things, came late, stuck on the busy freeway.

Guests had fun walking the nature trail to and from the bar with home made Sangria and hors d'oeuvres reception to the ocean deck, where a sunset over the ocean and a delicious market fresh meal, created by Diana Temple was awaiting them - after the first dance.





Susina Bakery and Cafe created and set up the yummy chocolate raspberry cake, I tasted many and this one was truly delicious.

Right after set-up and before the guest arrived I snapped a picture of myself - on big Nature weddings where I rush up and down hills and over dusty paths I just take a little Canon video camera and leave the Nikon at home.

Now I am opening Maria and and Joshua's favor for dinner - with a big cheers to their amazing joyfulness and to the tasty California wines...

Greenish wedding in Malibu

Monica and Jeremy were married at the Malibu Nature Preserve on July 10, 2009. Their casually green wedding started with a blast: they had rented a school bus for the trip and were singing their way to the wedding.











Monica and Jeremy had shared their green ideas, which centered around keeping everything as natural, local and low key as possible without loosing the glamor and fun with Arte TV earlier this year.
Miriam Geer, a well known local photographer, was right there capturing the joy and fun of everybody.