Posted on: Saturday, November 14th, 2009
With this blog I am going to focus on my favorite spot in the OC for the intimate affair, here you don’t have to give up 5 star service and style to feel like you can reach out and touch the ocean.
I have orchestrated celebrations in this spot for as few as 20 guests to the maximum the room can hold which is 74 with a sweetheart table. You get married on the Sunset Terrace which is a mexican tile feeling patio/terrace that has front on views to the gorgeous Pacific Ocean (hello Hawaii in the distance, ok Catalina kind of is in the way, but it is over in that direction!!), after the ceremony cocktails are held on the lovely semi circular balcony that looks right down to the surfers and waves crashing on Salt Creek Beach, and then we open the french doors and guests enter a lovely room that could be a formal dining room of someone’s lovely home. The Plaza Room has windows, a fireplace and mantle (great for putting pictures or flowers or candles on, to add that personal touch), a lovely chandelier, and the colors in the room don’t fight with any feel you may be wanting to do. I just love it.
Below you will see various shots of the same room, yet they look so different. I have done the royal dining table a few times this year, the one below is one of my favorite looks as it is very rich and serene feeling and the table looks so inviting the guests always gasp when the doors open and they see this look. I did another royal table a few weeks ago with all low vibrant colored florals/candles and petals to tie everything together, white linens and fruitwood chivaris, and it looked fabulous also. Using the same royal dining table I also did one with vibrant purple linens and jewel tone florals and it looked brilliant. It’s so hard being in the room watching the guests dining and talking, you just want to sit down and join them, it’s a great experience for those guests lucky enough to be part of such an intimate event.
The colors/look in the room are only a part of the whole experience though, the service from the ladies and gentlemen of the Ritz-Carlton is what elevates this experience to ‘awesome/best wedding I have ever been to’, comments that we hear as guests are departing. Most of the ladies and gentlemen at this property have been here a long time, and take such pride with each event, I look forward to working with them always. The food and beverage is ruled over by chef Jim who really takes a great interest in each event and personally checks the plates before they go out to the guests on the day. The team up in the office is wonderful. Headed by Kimberly, there is Fernanda and Kelly who are the first point of contact for most couples, and once booked you are given your service manager who will be with you throughout the duration of your planning/event. Great group of ladies and gentlemen (yes, you may have a man)who take great pride and care and are always around on the day to ensure all is going well and you are happy. So from the first call you make to inquire at the Ritz-Carlton, through the planning months/process, onto the wedding day and until you leave the resort the next day or a few days later, you are well taken care of, and know it.
Then there was Jane!!! She loves champagne, I love champagne, what a great team we were, and the fun we had from beginning to end in putting their celebration together. A lovely intimate group who got to enjoy the best of food and beverage and views. We had the grand piano and a pianist playing through lunch and after, and it was nice to see how much dancing actually happened. Being a lunch time event the couple left by going down to the beach on the cart, how fun. This way it didn’t matter if it was windy and they got dirty!! Thanks to www.ronbrazil.com for the photos.
Until next time, off to do a wedding.
Lisa
www.lisasimpsonweddings.com
Tags: monarch bay sunset terrace ritz carlton laguna, Plaza Room, Ritz-Carlton Laguna
Thank you for making my wedding perfect. Everything went really well and I was able to really enjoy it. My guests are still complimenting me on how nice everything was. Everyone kept commenting on how calm I was and that is because I had you to take care of everything.
I wanted to thank you again for all you did. The wedding was beyond my wildest dreams. It was beautiful and exactly as I pictured it.
What a pleasure it was to work with you on our wedding. You are very focused and amaze us with all that you do. Thank you for making our day flawless.
ou pulled together the most beautiful wedding in less than two weeks. People who attended our wedding still comment on it being the prettiest they’ve ever been to.
I just can’t imagine how the date could go through smoothly without you, you were amazing. Going through the whole process with you was a great life experience.