The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows

The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows

Simply Weddings by Brit Bertino Southern California Wedding Planner

This month Brit had the pleasure of visiting the Beverly Hills Hotel in southern California. This beautiful hotel is to Beverly Hills what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. It’s a must-see!

Located on the classic Sunset Boulevard, the Beverly Hills Hotel has been a favorite star-sighting spot for the past century. With rooms “bathed in soft tones of peach, mauve, sage, yellow, and beige” it will be the perfect getaway from the busy streets below. For an even more luxurious stay, bungalows are available. With a bedroom, living room, and private porch, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself in the privacy of your own bungalow!

Its rich historical timeline makes the Beverly Hills Hotel one-of-a-kind. The hotel was opened by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson on May 12, 1912. Beverly Hills was literally built around this famous hotel after the Anderson’s agreed to leave their secure spot in Hollywood. Because of the hotel, in 1914 Beverly Hills officially became a city. After being forced to close its doors during the depression, the hotel is reopened and in 1948 it is painted the famous pink color. In the 1950’s many celebrities stayed in the posh hotel, including Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren. In 1959, Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand called bungalows 20 and 21 home while filming “Let’s Make Love”. In 1972 Charlie Chaplin stays at the hotel. In 1978 the hit movie, “California Suite”, was filmed at the property. Wanting to remain a top-tier hotel, the famous pink hotel closes its doors on December 30, 1992 for a two and a half year complete restoration. In 1995 the hotel reopened, looking better than ever. Just six months from now the Beverly Hills Hotel will be partying for its Centennial Celebration!

With three dining options you are sure to find something to satisfy your appetite. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Polo Lounge. On certain nights you can even catch some Jazz entertainment. For some poolside dining head down to the Cabana Club Café. The Fountain Coffee Room is a gem of the Beverly Hills Hotel. The classic venue features shakes and floats from the 1950’s. Its even home to 19 restored bar stools that originally surrounded the classic curved soda fountain counter built in 1949. Bar Nineteen 12 is the hotel’s lobby bar with a terrace overlooking Century City. You can enjoy an evening on the terrace while munching on light fares and sipping unique cocktails.

From a ice martini bar with an ice luge, to a Kosher Sushi Chef, to a children’s plated menu, the Beverly Hills Hotel has everything to delight your guests’ appetites.

Guest services include dance floor and staging, a complimentary wedding night stay for the bride and groom, and special room rates for your wedding guests.

The Beverly Hills Hotel has 22,000 square feet of indoor and 4,800 square feet of outdoor space. Lush gardens are home to a white wedding gazebo, while the property also contains three ballrooms, each with a private foyer.

The Crystal Ballroom was the first ballroom at the Beverly Hills Hotel and features a beautiful rose chandelier. Your guests can enjoy the view; it looks out onto a Crystal Garden.

The Sunset Ballroom features hand-painted murals of an enchanting sky, along with a one-of-a-kind chandelier creating a celestial theme.

The Rodeo Ballroom also features chandeliers, with French doors that open to a Spanish tiled terrace.

The Polo Private Dining Room is also available, which features an intimate patio space perfect for private gatherings.

Photo Source: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Top10BeverlyHills.com

11/11/11: A Once in a Lifetime Wedding Date!

Many couples have chosen special dates for their big days. Dates in the past include 8/9/10, 10/10/10, etc. Well, the mother of all special dates is here: 11/11/11. It is special for many reasons: it is all ones, everyone makes a wish on the clock at 11:11, etc. The next time a date will come up like this, more than a decade will have passed: 2/2/22. Across the United States, tens of thousands of couples will tie the knot tomorrow. Lucky for a recovering Las Vegas economy, a good amount of them will be doing so in Sin City.

As of yesterday, at least 3,500 couples had pre-applied for marriage licenses in Clark County for tomorrow. Stacy Alsen of Boise, Idaho explained that "it's a once in a lifetime chance." Her and her fiance will say "I do" at 1pm on 11/11/11 at Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas.

Clark County Clerk Diana Alba has called in reinforcements in preparation for the onslaught of applications they are going to receive. She has temporarily reassigned staff to process applications, which they've been trained to do within the average of 20 minutes.

The office usually gets less than 1,000 pre-applications within a 60-day period. As of Tuesday, the clerk's office had 3,500 pre-applications for Nov. 11, 2011, and were expecting hundreds more today and Friday.

Welcoming the boost of business are the Las Vegas wedding chapels. There are over 100 chapels promoting 11/11/11 packages. David Nye from the A Elvis Chapel is expecting 40 couples on Friday, a huge number compared to their average of 40 couples a week.

As a UNLV student, I've received a few emails through our Hotel College group, from hotels such as the Venetian, asking for student volunteers to help out with 11/11/11 weddings.

Reasons behind choosing such an unusual date? Many couples believe it is good luck; we all remember the Vegas wedding scene on 7-7-07 (many planners believe that Nov. 11, 2011 will crush 7-7-07 numbers). For other brides, they're hoping that 11-11 is a day that their soon-to-be hubbies will never forget!

Many couples are also choosing to say their vows at a particular time on Friday. Candice Seiler is holding her ceremony at 11:11am. For Candice and her fiance, Brad, the number 11 is everywhere in the relaitonship. They have also been together for 11 years.

Whatever their reason for choosing the special date, we want to wish a wonderful day and future together for all of the couples saying "I do" tomorrow, 11/11/11!

Source: "Thousands Flock to Las Vegas for 11/11/11 weddings" by Sevil Omer, published: 11/9//2011. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45194144/ns/today-today_news/t/thousands-flock-las-vegas----weddings#.TrxPJ-CJXh8

Photo Source: guardian.co.uk

DIY Idea of the Day

These yarn covered bottles make great centerpieces! They would be extremely inexpensive. You could add different dimensions by using different sizes of bottles. Yarn of any color can be used so you can match them perfectly to your color scheme!

Carly and Alan 10-14-11

Carly & Alan said “I do” at the Four Seasons in Las Vegas on October 14th. They had a simple but elegant ceremony.

Candles hanging from trees made for unique decor.

Later at the reception, highlights included a cigar bar, which made for some unforgettable photo op’s.

Not only did guests have the amazing cake to munch on, which was done by Four Seasons, but they also got to enjoy a donut station!

To wrap up the evening, a pizza station provided the perfect late-night snack!

The beautiful floral was done by Foxtail Floral. The linens were supplied by Creative Coverings. Planning done by Simply Weddings by Brit Bertino. Thank you to Ron Miller Photography for the fabulous pictures!

In honor of Halloween...

October is a popular wedding month. Many climates create the ideal weather for a wedding. Las Vegas is one of them. With temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and almost always clear blue skies, an outdoor reception could be fantastic. There are many ways to incorporate the always enjoyable holiday, Halloween, into your October wedding.

Just adding a black accent can do a lot. This wedding dress is beautiful with the black lace sash.

These orange bride's maids dresses would create the perfect effect next to a wedding dress with black details.

Colors like purple, orange, green, yellow, and black can add the subtle hint of Halloween. Orange bride's maids dresses with a purple flower girl dress would get the Halloween ball rolling.

When it comes to centerpieces there are hundreds of ways to incorporate pumpkins, fall leaves, candles, etc. to go along with the trick-or-treating holiday.

If you're going for a not-so-subtle Halloween theme, check out these amazing wedding cakes.

Happy Halloween Weekend!

Photo Source: Discount-Wedding-Dresses.net, community.babycentre.co.uk, weddingbycolor.com, fashionlookbetter.info

Flower Girl Tutus

Idea of the day: Flower Girl tutus. This is a very inexpensive and creative way to dress your flower girl(s)! The outfit can be created with a leotard or shirt and a tutu! You can add a ribbon for a belt or flowers as embellishments. I saw a lot of pictures that had made an adult sized tutu into a dress for a toddler. You can just add straps to the dress with ribbons and glue some flowers on the chest to add some detail!

Photo Source: Sedona Wedding Blog & Posh Baby Store

Postrio

Last week Brit and I had the pleasure of meeting with Leah Gulla, the Catering Sales Manager for Wolfgang Puck Private Dining & Catering, at Postrio in the Venetian. No thanks to the G2E Convention crowd, we made it and enjoyed a wonderful lunch.

For an appetizer we ordered to-die-for Truffled Potato Chips. These freshly made potato chips covered in truffle oil and bleu cheese made for a delicious appetizer. For lunch, I ordered Ricotta Gnocchi with Sweet Fennel Sausage Bolognese. It reminded me of my summer trip in Italy. Leah recommended any of the wood oven baked pizzas. She added that Wolfgang’s signature pizzas are ideal for tray pass items at receptions; they are cute into small squares so they make a great finger food! A big thank you to Executive Chef Mark Sandoval.

Leah has been with Wolfgang Puck for five and a half years. The dining group includes the restaurants Spago, Lupo, Postrio, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Cut, Pizzeria & Cucina, and Pod’s. When we asked her what she liked most about the company, Leah replied that she loves their branding and that they provide high quality food and service, whether its a small event or a large banquet.

Along with Wolfgang Puck’s exquisite dining, each of the restaurants have their own pastry chef, who can tailor any of their six standard designs to create your dream wedding cake. Postrio does not provide wedding floral but will be more than accommodating with outside florists. The pastry chefs will also work with you if you’d like flowers on your wedding cake. Postrio also provides a sign-in table and white linens.

One thing that is very unique about Postrio is that it is one of the few restaurants on the strip that can fit a DJ and dancefloor in their private dining rooms.

Postrio also has amazingly inexpensive open-bar packages. For just $46, your guests can enjoy four hours of Premium open-bar. This includes cocktails, house select red and white wines, imported and domestic beer, soft drinks, and fruit juices.

Postrio has several spaces available for private events.

For Lunch/Dinner:

• Banquet Room I: Up to 60 guests
• Banquet Room II: Up to 100 guests
• Cafe: Up to 125 guests
• Main Dining room: Up to 175 guests
• Entire Restaurant: Up to 300 guests

For a cocktail reception:

• Banquet Room I: Up to 75 guests
• Banquet Room II: Up to 150 guests
• Cafe: Up to 150 guests
• Main Dining Room: Up to 400 guests
• Entire Restaurant: Up to 600 guests.

Located inside of the Venetian, Postrio is the perfect place for a wonderful reception. They often work with the chapel, which is a quick and easy transition for your guests!

Table Top Tuesday

This table exudes nature’s beauty!

Ceremony Seating

Everyone knows the traditional seating set up for wedding ceremonies. But why don't you shake things up a bit?

Set your chairs up in a circular formation. Your guests will love your creativity and will enjoy the 360 degree view of your ceremony!

Or just ditch the traditional chairs all together!

Use pews or even bails of hay!

Photo Source: Green Wedding Shoes, Amy's All Things Weddings, Manolo Brides

Wedding Hairstyles: We love braids.

This hairstyle features three loose french braids.

You can add ribbons of any color to a braid. This bride's ribbon matches her bouquet and the table linens.

Braids can create a very romantic and elegant wedding hairstyle. There are hundreds of hair styles that can be created with braids!

Alternatives to the Bouquet/Garter Toss

These days many couples are choosing to do something less traditional than a bouquet and garter toss at their reception. No one wants their bouquet toss to turn into a wrestling match, and often unmarried women don't want to be singled out in front of your guests.

Here are some fun and easy alternatives.

• Cake Charm Pull: This activity is actually a Victorian tradition. Purchase small cake charms. After attaching a ribbon on each, have your baker insert them in between the layers of the cake with the ribbons extending beyond the edge of the cake. At the wedding have your bride’s maids pull the charms out (you could purchase more and have all of the female guests pull one). The charms work like fortunes; a baby carriage for a future bun in the oven, a ring for a coming engagement, a plane for travel, a four-leaf clover for good luck, etc.

• Breakaway Bouquet: Make your single ladies think that you’re going to be throwing one whole bouquet, and instead untie the bundle so that each single lady can have one flower. You could also add to this idea and tie fortunes to each stem. You can also have all of the women come out for this activity, instead of singling out the unmarried women.
• Wish Come True Bouquet Toss: Invite all of the women out onto the dance floor. Have them all make a wish, then toss the bouquet. Whoever catches it will have their wish come true.
• Anniversary Bouquet Dance: Have all of the married couples come out on the dance floor. Slowly have your DJ “eliminate” couples until the longest marriage is the last dancing. For example, “If you’ve been married for less than a week, leave the dance floor.” “If you’ve been married less than a year, your dance is over!” etc. The longest married couple will win the bouquet.

• Honor True Love: If your longest married couple isn’t in dancing shape (often the longest married couple are the oldest couple). Simply have the married couples stand at their tables, and in a similar manner to the anniversary bouquet dance (eliminating the couples in increments), find the couple at your wedding that has been married the longest and give them the bouquet.
• Spin-the-bride: This alternative reminded me of spin the bottle. Instead of the bride tossing the bouquet, have her wear a blindfold, while the women circle around her. She’ll hold out the bouquet and spin (once or twice, don’t get dizzy!) and whoever she is pointing to when she stops gets the bouquet.
• Dedicate the Bouquet & Garter: Instead of tossing the items, dedicate the bouquet to someone very special to you (a sister, mother, aunt, etc.). You can also choose to dedicate your bouquet to your next friend to be married. Have your groom dedicate the garter to his “wing-man” that he obviously won’t be needing anymore!

While researching the topic, I found that recently a lot of couples are choosing to forgo the garter toss all-together. Because of this, there weren’t a lot of garter toss alternatives. Depending on how many single men you have at your wedding, it might not even be missed. If you feel uncomfortable with your man going under your dress in front of your guests, make it more tasteful by sliding your garter down to your upper calf before your new husband goes to retrieve it.

Photo Source: weddingaccessories.net, birchtreephotographyblog.com, iamstaggered.com

The Eiffel Tower Restaurant

Last week we had the pleasure of meeting Annie Kang-Drachen, CPCE, at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel. Over Chef Jean Joho's delicious French classics we took in breathtaking views 110 feet above the Las Vegas Strip and discussed ceremonies and receptions at the luxurious venue.

Getting ready to pop the question? The Eiffel Tower Restaurant has a unique proposal package. For just $500, you and your significant other will be guaranteed a window table with one of the best views in the house. The package also includes a 5-course meal from Chef Joho's seasonal tasting menu, a bottle of champagne, a dozen roses, and a professional photo in an Eiffel Tower Restaurant keepsake folder. For an additional $50, you can have the ring delivered in a unique Eiffel Tower jewelry box on a plate with rose pedals.

Already engaged? Say "I do" with a view! The standard ceremony package includes use of the Chapel Prive for 45 minutes, an officiant fee, music for processional and recessional, bride's hand held bouquet, matching groom's boutonniere, and professional ceremony photography. This package costs $1,200 Monday through Thursday, and $1,400 Friday through Sunday. The space is available from 11am to 4pm and the Chapel Prive can seat up to 24 guests. Please inquire with Annie for larger ceremonies. You can enhance your vows by adding an aisle runner, bride's maid bouquets, wrist corsages, and a wedding videographer.

Several areas are available for receptions. The Cocktail Lounge is an intimate semi-private space with astounding views of the Las Vegas strip. It is ideal for a small reception of up to 16 guests. The Salon Prive is a completely glass enclosed private room. Decorated with elegant red carpet and velvet chairs, along with a mahogany wood ceiling, this room creates an enchanting setting for a reception of up to 30 guests. Available for private or semi-private receptions is the Left Bank. Its an elevated extension of the main dining room offering spectacular views of the romantic Bellagio Fountains, as well as several hotels on Las Vegas Boulevard. The Left Bank can seat up to 60 guests. The dining room is also available for smaller groups or a complete buy out, which can seat up to 250 guests. With floor to ceiling glass windows the restaurant provides one-of-a-kind views. All of the areas have a food and beverage minimum, as well as set up fees.

With the Eiffel Tower Restaurant's classical French menu and exquisite wine and champagne list, your guests will truly enjoy this unique venue. Add in the life-changing views of the world renowned Las Vegas strip and you'll have a venue ideal for the wedding of a lifetime.

Gimme Some Sugar!

Last week we attended the grand opening of Gimme Some Sugar’s new studio and bake shoppe!

Owners and cake designers, Kristen and Miranda, along with their managing partner and CFO, Ashley, have made Gimme Some Sugar a top choice for event planners in Las Vegas. What was once a dream between two best friends has now turned making cakes for celebrities like LMFAO, Eva Longoria, and Kim Kardashian. Gimme Some Sugar was also awarded “Best Wedding Cakes 2010” by Las Vegas Bride. Their creativity and hard work has rocketed them to the top.

Gimme Some Sugar’s new studio and bake shoppe is located on Stephanie Street, just south of the 215 beltway. The proximity to the highway makes all of Las Vegas very accessible for the dozens of deliveries their busy bakery makes.

At the grand opening we enjoyed delectable treats, such as their “Chewy Gooey Crispy Bar”, which is a mouthwatering treat containing a layer of rice crispy treat, caramel, chocolate chip cookie AND brownie. Another favorite was their “Party Rock Pops”, which are cake pops dipped in frosting, sprinkles, and pop rocks! We also enjoyed “Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites” and the classic children’s item “Dirt & Worms”. We broke the rule, and had dessert first, but the dinner food provided was equally delicious.

The success of the event really showed how much love Gimme Some Sugar has. Many of their friends came out to the event, as well as the owners’ families, who spent the day doing everything from washing windows to restocking the dessert bar! We would like to wish Gimme Some Sugar oodles of success in the future and we look forward to attending any event that has their delicious cakes and treats!

The studio and bake shoppe officially opens today, October 3rd. Stop by and satisfy your cravings between 11am and 7pm!

For more information click here for the Gimme Some Sugar website.

Missy and Vishesh

NASHVILLE

This couple first met at a local Nashville eatery when mutual friends convinced them to come out for a drink. They hit it off immediately, laughing and talking the night away. The rest is history.

LAS VEGAS

For as long as Missy could remember, she wanted to have a destination wedding. Her and Vishesh began looking at beach towns from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but they couldn’t find a location that had everything they wanted. After several months of surveying different resorts, which gave Missy a nice tan, they decided to look for other exciting wedding destinations that didn’t involve sand. It didn’t take them long to choose Las Vegas.

Not only did Las Vegas meet their number one priority—an easy destination for their guests to get to and from—it also offered hundreds of entertainment options for pre- and post-wedding events. “The experience and atmosphere that Las Vegas provides is a nice representation of our personalities and love for each other.” –Missy

When the engaged couple began looking for a Las Vegas venue, it was important that it portrayed a high level of sophistication and class. Missy didn’t want to see lots of neon lights in the background of any of her day-of events. The couple also had a few more requirements. Because outside catering is rarely an option at most hotels, Missy and Vishesh wanted to find a venue where the food would be stellar and their guests could have an amazing dining experience. After several site visits and tastings, the M Resort was a clear choice for the couple’s wedding and reception. “The décor and level of service provided by the property are second to none. We couldn’t have asked for more in those areas.” Additionally, the menu and food at their cocktail hour and reception garnered a number of compliments.

DÉCOR

Many people close to Missy would say that the motto during the planning of their wedding was “Give me lamps or give me death.” That may have been slightly overdramatic, but the bride-to-be was determined to have the tall lamps for two reasons.

First and foremost, Missy and Vishesh are both allergic to a number of different flowers, so by using a centerpieces that were something other than flowers helped the couple avoid the risk of sneezing the whole night. The second reason was that Missy wanted to use the lamps as dramatic and modern props that would really pop. The large hot pink shades with the encased orange orchids in the tall base created the look that Missy had imagined, as well as added depth to the room. The flowers were supplied by Foxtail Florist.

THE CEREMONY

When asked what her favorite part of the ceremony was, Missy couldn’t pick just one. “There are two parts.” One was the Ashirwad—the blessing from the parents, which is a tradition in Indian weddings. “It was a private moment that we were able to share with our parents and I can repeat back exactly what each of them said to us.” *Author’s note: I have to admit that I got goosebumps typing that quote.

Her second favorite part was when they turned around to face their audience. “My arm shot up in the air like a cheerleader,” after their dear friend and officiant, Ravyn Miller, pronounced them Mr. and Mrs. Vishesh Chachra.

THE RECEPTION

“I can’t have just one favorite thing as you can see, and our reception is no different.” One of Missy’s favorite things about their reception was something she hadn’t planned for. At dinner her father gave a speech. Vishesh still gets choked up when they think about her dad’s toughing words that night. “I am one lucky girl to have not one, but two ‘Supermans’ in my life.”

For Missy’s second favorite part of the reception, I’m sure all of the guests can agree. After making the change into a shorter ivory dress with beading, she was ready to get down! Next her new husband, Vishesh, took the stage. “From his Elvis dance moves during ‘Suspicious Minds’ to the remix version of ‘Beautiful Girls’ by Sean Kingston, it was SO much fun. In Fact, one of my favorite pictures from our reception is when he pulled me on stage and we are laughing and waving to all his cheering fans!”

To see all of the photo's, click HERE.