We have had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful professionals this year. Each brings his or her own creative talents and personality to the mix to enhance every wedding for which they are engaged. If you want the very best service and artistry, here are the best of the best in five categories.
Floral Designer
Edward Bellingeri
www.edwardbdesign.com
Edward designed and coordinated many celebrity weddings in Southern California before moving to Northern California. He was in great demand for his attention to detail which satisfied even the most discerning brides and mothers-of-the-bride. And yet, he is very warm, personable and thoughtful. He is the real deal, the whole package.
Couturier
Jin Wang
www.jinwang.net
A number of our brides have been 'Jin Wang' brides. Not only was every interaction with Jin personal and calm, but each dress was perfectly suited to each bride's personality. The dresses were so comfortable and flattering. We never saw a bride pull up the bodice or smooth a wrinkle all day. Not once. These dresses were perfectly fitted. And the dresses swished and flowed as you would imagine in a fairytale, looking as beautiful from the back and from the front. And now, Jin has added another bonus: no charge for alterations for her couturier gowns. That's Jin - adding a higher level of service before even being asked.
Caterer
Paula Le Duc
www.paulaleduc.com
I was at a reception held by Paula Le Duc to thank a variety of professionals for their support in the past year. Every aspect of the food and service was impeccable. If you ordered a drink from a waitperson, even if you moved around the very large space, they would find you and deliver your drink promptly and courteously. How do they do that? Every guest had a story to tell of how Paula and her staff surpassed all expectations. Her motto is so true, "Perfect will be just fine."
Cake
Shinmin Li
www.idreamofcake.com
I can't remember another professional taking their art to such a high level so quickly. Shinmin approaches every aspect of designing and creating cakes differently than anyone else. Just look at her showroom - it looks more like an exclusive shoe salon than a bakery. Her look is fresh and hip, elegant and classic, . If those adjectives sound contradictory, just take a look at her designs.
Floral Designer
Nicole Sillapere
www.sillapere.com
When people attempt to do two things well, they usually come up short. Not so with Nicole Sillapere. She is one of the freshest, most creative minds in the business AND she treats the planet gently by using biodegradeable and recycled materials wherever possible. Nicole produced the most recent Global Green event at the Bently Reserve, attended by Leonardo diCaprio, Salma Hayek, and Orlando Bloom among others, raising over $250,000 for smart solutions to global warming. But let's go back to Nicole's designs. They are crisp, contemporary, stylish. In fact, she is a trend setter. And when Nicole designs an event, she takes into account as far as the eye can see. This keeps the florals, the furniture and the accessories in proportion rather than having just one element screaming for attention which visually throws everything out of balance. Her crew are a cohesive group of talented individuals who, despite tight deadlines, are always calm, have fun with one another, and seem to be both at play and at peace.
