Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
NACE and The Expert Planners that make up The Venue Vixens share the stage!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged A Day To Remember Wedding Planners, Catrina Maria Event Planning and Design, Laurie Schmolzel, Sac Nace, sacramento wedding planner, The Venue Vixens on January 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Marriage of Metals with Real Weddings Magazine
Posted in catrina maria designs, Uncategorized on December 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Thanks Real Weddings Magazine for blogging about our Marriage of Metal shoot!
Hello dear Real Weddings Readers! Have you seen the newest issue of Real Weddings Magazine? In it, we have an amazing decor inspiration story called, “Marriage of Metal.”
For this feature, we teamed with an extremely talented group of professionals inspired to, well, mix some metals. Katie Edwards from Ambience Floral Design, on the inspiration:
“I’ve always loved metals, all metals. I’m not a ‘gold’ girl or a ‘silver’ girl—copper is actually my favorite metal. A popular wedding trend over the past several years has been a lot of crystal sparkle, which is gorgeous. But it’s always good to have a fresh approach, and metals can offer a whole different kind of shine and sparkle—metals have beautiful depth, richness and warmth. Metal is so versatile: matte, shiny, rough, smooth, bright, dull….the combinations are endless.”
Real Bride Model: Vanessa Sevart
Photographed on location:
M!X Downtown
916-442-8855 | mixdowntown.net
Photographer
Lily Rose Photography
916-204-3708 | lilyrosephotography.com
Design, Styling, Décor and Floral Design
Ambience Floral Design
916-786-6851 | ambiencefloral.com
Design, Styling, Décor and Coordination
Catrina Maria Designs
916-276-5080 | catrinamaria.com
Bridal Gown
Always Elegant Bridal & Tuxedo
530-755-4282 | alwayselegantbridal.net
Accessories
Macy’s
Arden Fair Mall | 916-925-2845
Country Club Plaza | 916-485-3885
Downtown Plaza | 916-444-3333
Sunrise Mall | 916-962-3333
Westfield Galleria at Roseville | 916-771-3333
Hair and Makeup
Special Event Hair and Makeup
Lea Buehler
916-705-5827 | specialeventhairandmakeup.com
Cakes and Desserts
Pretty Sweet
916-952-3043 | prettysweet.co
Paperie
Angela Dal Bon Custom Invitations and Announcements
916-759-4428 | sacramentoinvitations.org
Décor Rentals
Dogwood Party Rentals
916-505-4250 | dogwoodpartyrentals.com
Celebrations! Party Rentals and Tents
916-773-2133 | celebrationspartyrentals.com
Linens
Mimi & Co.
916-525-1235 | mimiandcompany.com
“Marriage of Metal: A Decor Inspiration Story” produced by Katie Edwards {Ambience Floral Design}, Catrina Arcularius {Catrina Maria Designs}, and Caitlin Herrera and Wendy Sipple from Real Weddings Magazine.
Photos by Lily
DIY Projects: Paper Lanterns
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Accents by Sage, Budget, Ceremony, DIY, Do It Yourself, Fabric, Gray, Lanterns, Old Town, Paper Lanterns, Pearls, Project, Reception, Restaurant, Ribbon, Sacramento, The Firehouse, Wedding, Yellow on June 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »
So, you just got engaged and you’re already stressing out over your budget? First of all, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! To help keep costs as low as possible while you plan the decor for the most memorable day of your life, be sure to take some awesome do-it-yourself (DIY) projects into consideration. No matter what the theme of your wedding, paper lanterns make a gorgeous, almost ethereal addition to your ceremony or reception space.
On Saturday, June 9th, 2012, the Catrina Maria Designs team had the opportunity to work at The Firehouse in Old Town Sacramento for Terrance and Tameka Tutt’s wedding. Their wedding colors were a sunshine yellow and charcoal gray, mixing the best hues of both light and dark elements. Combined with awesome music from Bryan Greenwalt with Music and More Entertainment and beautiful floral arrangements by Cheryl with Accents by Sage, the simple, yet very elegant, paper lanterns lit up the tree-shaded ceremony and reception spaces. There are several ways to spruce up plain lanterns, but the CMD team chose to decorate these cream-colored orbs with some theme-appropriate strands of fabric, ribbon, and pearls. To achieve a flowy, blow-in-the-wind look, we simply tied these decorative pieces to the bar that holds the lanterns together. As is evident by the photos below, this elementary twist on DIY paper lanterns assisted in making this outdoor ceremony and reception space exquisite.
Photos Courtesy Of: Ashley Douglas
Happy 1st Anniversary to Joanna and Matt!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Anniversary, Bride, Carrie Richards Photography, Ceremony, Couple, Groom, Happy Anniversary, Matrimony, Memories, One Year, Sunshine, True Love, Vows, Wedding, Year on June 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
One year ago tomorrow, Joanna Nelle married the love of her life, Matt Aguiar in a beautiful outdoorsy ceremony. On behalf of the entire Catrina Maria Designs team, we would like to wish you both a very happy first Wedding Anniversary! Here’s a look back at the matrimonial celebration:
The beautiful bride and her handsome groom looked dazzling and full of life at their outdoorsy wedding, tinted with varying shades of blue and flecks of yellow.
The happy newlyweds brought the post-ceremony party to life!
Happy Anniversary, Joanna and Matt! May your marriage be filled with as much happiness, love, and FUN as possible!
Photos Courtesy Of: Carrie Richards Photography
Happy 1st Anniversary to Marianna and Darwin!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Anniversary, Bride, Ceremony, Couple, Groom, Happy Anniversary, high school sweethearts, Matrimony, Memories, One Year, River Highlands Ranch, Sunshine, the memory journalists, True Love, Vows, Wedding, Year on June 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »
One year ago today, high school sweethearts Marianna and Darwin exchanged their lifelong vows in a gorgeous ceremony at River Highlands Ranch in Smartville, CA. On behalf of the entire Catrina Maria Designs team, we would like to wish you both a very happy first wedding anniversary! Here’s a look back at the matrimonial celebration:
The gorgeous bride and her handsome husband walking down the aisle, tinted with sunshine.
The look in their eyes says it all…it’s true love!
Happy Anniversary, Marianna and Darwin! May your marriage be filled with happiness, passion, and honest love for all eternity.
Photos Courtesy Of: The Memory Journalists
A bit about balloons…
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Art, Backyard, Balloons, Blow, Blow Up, Breath, C02, Coat, Cold, Crocker, Crocker Art Museum, Decor, Deflate, Disney, Electric, Emergency, Enchanting, Freeze, Frozen, Helium, Hindsight, Matrimony, Memorial Day, Middel East, Museum, Nozzle, Outdoors, Oxygen, Pixar, Pop, Sacramento, Saturday, Sunday, Tank, Temperature, Test-Run, Trash Bag, Up, Vendors, Wedding, Weekend on June 2, 2012| 1 Comment »
Memorial Day weekend was absolutely incredible for the Catrina Maria Designs team. With the help of some other AMAZING vendors, we executed two gorgeous back-to-back weddings. Kelsey and Lyle Chan’s wedding at Sacramento’s Crocker Art Museum on Saturday brought to life the enchanting love story of Disney-Pixar’s “Up,” while Rena and Ian Concepcion’s Sunday wedding at the Grand Island Mansion put a lavish spin on the typical backyard matrimony, combining the lush outdoors with Middle Eastern flavor. Overall, the weekend was sensational – except for one teeny, tiny blip on the radar: the balloons!
Don’t take this the wrong way – the Chan’s wedding would not have had the same effect without all of the balloons, and we wouldn’t take back any of it! But, as the saying goes, hindsight is twenty-twenty; looking back, we would have taken an entirely different approach to our balloon blowing escapades. Because the Crocker does not allow helium balloons inside the Museum, the Catrina Maria Designs team delved into the wonderful world of 200+ balloons versus oxygen tanks – as well as our own personal C02 (a.k.a. our breath)!
As we were blowing up balloons, for some reason, the oxygen tank nozzle began to freeze, and the balloons kept popping (from being too cold, I’m assuming). We were forced to call in for an emergency delivery of a secondary tank. Meanwhile, we did what we had to do and started blowing up the balloons – manually (in this business, the show MUST go on)!
Needless to say, we were a bit light-headed by the time the second tank arrived. Although this tank did not freeze as much as the first, it still caused our hard-earned balloons to pop at an alarming rate. Also, by mid-setup, the vast majority of the balloons started to shrink and get that “wrinkly” look to them – we were NOT happy. Despite the little setback, the entire ceremony and reception went off without a hitch (and without any balloons shrinking or popping!), and made a beautiful addition to the other decor.
The Catrina Maria Designs team plans on staying away from balloons for some time; however, if at any time in the future we, or YOU, need non-helium balloons, we strongly suggest utilizing an electric balloon blower! These machines come with multiple facets to make balloon blowing teamwork more efficient, and they never have to be refilled. If you are fortunate enough to be able to utilize helium, here are some helpful hints to help your balloons avoid the wrinkly deflation process:
- Do a test-run. Just as you would stretch and gradually work your way up to your full performance potential on a 5k, your balloons should be tested for endurance before they’re filled with helium. Fill the balloon with air before filling them with helium, so as not to waste the gas, as well as to determine the stamina of its elasticity.
- Store the balloons in a trash bag. Latex and mylar are sensitive; therefore, balloons are easily withered, dirtied, and torn. By storing the balloons in a trash bag before and after inflation, you help keep your balloons spry.
- Use a coat. Using Hi-Float coats the outside of the latex or mylar, and Super Hi-Float coats the inside of balloon. These chemicals help to keep the surfaces of the balloons from oxidizing, and can extend the life of your balloons by several days, perhaps even weeks.
- Maintain temperature equilibrium. If you’re planning on taking your balloons to the snow (for some odd reason), consider storing them in the fridge beforehand. Likewise, if you’re planning on having an outside party at the beach, leave them outside for a few hours beforehand.
Photos Courtesy Of: Ashley Douglas
Implementing Antiques into Your Wedding
Posted in Uncategorized on May 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »
We’ve all heard the popular wedding rhyme “something borrowed, something blue, something old, and something new.” Why not implement all four traditions into one beautiful piece? Antiques offer a lovely touch of “organized chaos” to a wedding, as well as bringing an amazing past into the present. For example, an old dresser works great as a dessert station, a large picture frame is an amazing prop for guest photos, and a cozy chair can tie a reception area together quite nicely. In the Sacramento area, Rent-Antiques.com offers some incredible aged pieces of furniture and trinkets to help you create the rustic, old-fashioned-yet-still-hip feel to your wedding. I strongly encourage you to take care of your “something” list by taking a look at some of their amazing decor! Here’s a sneak peak:
Photo Courtesy Of: Rent-Antiques.com
Some Simple Secrets to a Happy Marriage
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Affection, Duties, Happy Marriage, Husband, Love, Marriage, Recipe, Secrets, Simple, Wedding, Wife on May 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »
So, you just married the love of your life, and you’re already to pull your hair out of your head – sound all too familiar? Studies show that the first years of marriage are the most difficult; and national statistics indicate that most divorces occur within the first five years of marriage. When University of Oklahoma researchers studied newlyweds, they found that “expressions of love and affection between a wife and husband drop by half in the first two years of marriage,” and researchers find that most couples “experience a significant drop in happiness about 18 months after the wedding.” However, despite all of these depressing facts, you and your lover don’t have to go through any heartache if you implement these simple secrets into your marriage:
- Love yourself first. You will never be able to love anyone else with your whole heart unless you love yourself first and foremost. When you love yourself, you treat yourself with respect, and you don’t let others bring you down. In short, when you’re your number one, your heart is open and ready to accept and love others fully.
- Don’t lower your standards, but change your expectations. Things will never be perfect, because no human can ever be perfect. Don’t expect your mate to be doting, romantic, and kind all of the time. Enjoy when they DO treat you like a King or Queen, and don’t chastise them when they don’t.
- Remember that your partner’s not a mind reader. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Nobody can read minds, so don’t expect your husband or wife to be clairvoyant about your wants or needs. Express yourself clearly and honestly.
- Be all ears. Your mother gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason – to listen more than you speak. Sometimes your mate doesn’t need a lecture or any advice; instead, all they may need is an open-minded and patient listener to tell their problems and worries to.
- Friends first, lovers second. Would you make your best friend sleep on the couch? Would you yell at your best friend over forgetting the fortune cookies when he/she brings home Chinese takeout for dinner? It’s oxymoronic, but we often treat those we love and care about most better than those we hardly know or hardly see. Treat your mate with the utmost level of respect – be a friend first, lover second.
- Don’t let the kids control your marriage. Remember to make alone time, away from the children, at least once a week for you and your significant other. The formula is simple: happy parents = happy children.
- Take turns doing chores. Break the barriers between traditional male and female roles in the household. Do laundry together, have your wife mow the lawn, let your husband cook dinner and get the kids ready for bed. If you take turns at chores, you’ll appreciate each other more.
- Be honest about finances. Honesty is the basis for any relationship, but fiscal fidelity is one of the most important types of openness in a marriage. Managing your finances together helps you both understand your monetary standings and budget limitations. Don’t hide anything – it all comes out in the wash!
Photo Courtesy Of: GodlyWoman.com
Statistics Courtesy Of: Reader’s Digest
Picking the Perfect Wedding Date
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged April, August, Availability, Date, December, Fall, February, Holidays, January, July, June, March, Marriage, May, November, Nuptials, October, Pricing, Season, September, Special, Spring, Summer, Symbolic, Wedding, Wedding Date, Wedding Planner, Winter on May 2, 2012| 1 Comment »
The annual “wedding season” is fast approaching – do you have your date set?! Perhaps you do, but if you and your mate are confused about selecting the ideal day for your upcoming nuptials, read on! Here are some tips to help you select the perfect date:
Photo Courtesy Of: TeamWedding.com
- Symbolic Date: Your parents’ anniversary, the first day you met, the day he proposed, a dating anniversary, or some other memorable day in your couple history or individual histories all serve as significant and fitting dates for your wedding. Not to mention, it’s totally romantic!
- Favorite Wedding Planner: Because you’re planning on getting married, you’ve probably recorded or rented The Wedding Planner, Bride Wars, Bridesmaids, and every other typical wedding movie known to man. From these films or from following wedding trends, you know how important it is to have an amazing wedding planner for your special once-in-a-lifetime wedding day. Your favorite wedding planner’s availability may play a role in the date that you can choose. Be sure to match your wedding date desires with your planner’s weekend openings.
- Holidays: Some holidays may be a no-go because of familial obligations, but if you’re determined to have a cupid pinata or Christmas tree at your wedding, a holiday wedding date may be for you. Although it is technically “your day,” depending on the holiday celebration, it may be acceptable to provide guests with some festive entertainment in combination with the wedding ceremony and reception. For example, if you love the Fourth of July, provide barbecued food for your wedding’s dinner and incorporate fireworks into your reception for great fun for all attendees!
- Pricing: Traditionally, the most popular wedding months are May through August; thus, prices for planners, venues, flowers, etc. will most likely be higher during these months. If you and your lover are looking to save some money, try holding your wedding date in some of the lower-key months in Fall and Winter.
- Season: If you’ve always dreamed of having your wedding in Lake Tahoe with the snowflakes falling down on your nose, low lighting, and a hot chocolate being served, Winter is your ideal wedding date season! Match your wedding date and individual personalities with the season that you’d like to celebrate your marriage in. As a small reminder, too hot or too cold is uncomfortable for you and your guests – be sure to make accommodations!
- Special Accommodations: There are some guests that you just can’t celebrate without. If your great-aunt Myrtle is having hip surgery or your crazy cousin Gertrude is travelling to Croatia to inoculate newborn babies and they just have to be there to witness your nuptials, be sure to coordinate with them before choosing your wedding date. As a warning, if you offer this accommodation to one person, others may jump on the bandwagon too!
- Tax Weekend: One of the most stressful times of year for everyone is April 15th – that being said, DO NOT schedule your wedding on that date unless you’re prepared to deal with some grumpy guests!
Your wedding date will be a day that you and your partner remember forever. You will have champagne glasses, photo albums, and future anniversary gifts engraved with that special date – choose wisely, and best of luck!