Yuliya + Alex

Last Saturday was Yuliya and Alex's wedding in Carmichael, California. The ceremony and reception were both held at Carmichael Presbyterian Church, a gorgeous and quaint mission-style church. The image below is from the rear of the venue as guests arrived.

Carmichael Presbyterian is full of beautiful architectural details and (once the rain clouds cleared out) Yuliya and Alex had plenty of pretty places to take pictures.

These are just a few shots from the reception. When we get the professional photos from the photographer we will certainly share them. The image on the left is the guest view of the head table as they entered the reception hall. To the right were place cards hand written by the bride.

Yuliya's colors were bubble gum pink, chocolate brown and champagne so we used shimmery champagne linens throughout the room accented by chocolate brown napkins and chocolate brown ribbon on the centerpieces.

The bride and groom arranged for the caterer to have hor d'oeuvres placed on the tables before guests arrived so centerpieces needed to take up minimal space. Budding twigs combined with pink gerbera daisies in simple glass cylinders were perfect. A hint of winter combined with the promise of spring!

We took advantage of the high ceilings in the auditorium and secured giant, 36" balloons to the tables. Suspended at varying heights, the balloons provided visual interest, carried in the accent color and added a whimsical and fun feel to the reception.

While Yuliya was set on using pink gerbera daisies for boutonniers, corsages and centerpieces, she knew she wanted pink roses for her bouquet and her bridesmaids' bouquets.

We used delicate baby pink Peckoubo roses for Yuliya's bouquest, the three bridesmaid bouquets and Alex's boutonnier. Simple and stunning. As was Yuliya's dress, which we can't WAIT to show you when we get the professional photographs!

Thank you Yuliya and Alex, for allowing us to be a part of your beautiful celebration. Congratulations!

Feature Friday: The Roseville Utility Exploration Center

Today's Feature Friday brings you a fantastic venue that is perfect for a childrens party or baby shower: the Roseville Utility Exploration Center. Situated next to the Martha Riley Community Library and within the Roseville Sports Complex, the Center is "an environmental learning center focused on bringing visitors information on protecting natural resources in a fun, engaging way."

*Quote and all photos courtesy of the Roseville Community Exploration Center*

It is the mission of the Roseville Utility Exploration Center to promote a healthy environment by encouraging individual actions for a sustainable future. Topics covered include energy efficiency, renewable technology, water conservation and recycling.

The Roseville Utility Exploration Center was the perfect venue for Mason's Birthday "On the Green" in keeping with our commitment to making the event environmentally responsible. When we originally scheduled the room we reserved three and a half hours at a rate of $60 per hour. The party ended up running over by an hour and they didn't charge us any extra fees! While that was great in and of itself, what we were most impressed by was the impeccable service the Supervisor, Bob Garrison, offered.

From the moment we arrived, Bob asked what he could help with. He helped set up tables and chairs, instructed us on how to use the technology, brought pitchers for drinks, and provided ice and a jug for water. He offered a selection of movies to show and reassured us that his office door would be open should we need anything. Bob stayed visible until party guests arrived and then retreated to his office, still available if we needed anything.

The room itself was clean, bright and spacious with a functioning sink and ample counter space. One entire wall consists of windows, which allowed for light to flood in even on a cloudy and rainy day. Although not pictured, the room also had a large white board we were able to use-- children enjoyed drawing and writing messages to the birthday boy.

We will definitely utilize the Roseville Utility Exploration Center in the future and highly recommend the venue to others. For more information or to book the Center check out their website or call 916.746.1550.

Feature Friday: The Victorian at Hemphill Mansion

Why is it when you return from vacation you feel like you need an extra day to recover from your vacation? At any rate, we're back and ready to roll with Lindsey's Red Hot 30th Birthday this weekend!

Today's Feature Friday highlights the venue we selected for Katie and Jon's wedding earlier this year, The Victorian at Hemphill Mansion in Roseville, California. The Victorian is just that-- a beautiful Victorian style mansion located in old town Roseville at 315 Washington Boulevard.

The Victorian style home, at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Grove St., built in 1909 for Wallace Hemphill, served as a showplace and social center for Roseville society.

Hemphill's Roseville Water Co. provided Roseville its water and electricity from 1906 to 1925. He also owned the local sand and gravel business when Roseville was going through it's first boom. Dr. James McAnally purchased the mansion in 1936 and used it as his residence until 1969.

At one time the property served as a stage coach depot and later as Roseville's bus terminal.

Things we liked about The Victorian...

• Price: Reasonable for a Saturday evening wedding during "prime" wedding season.
• All-inclusive: When we booked the venue we were getting locations for both the ceremony and the reception, a DJ and catering. One stop shopping.
• Space: There was ample room for the ceremony in the garden, cocktails inside, dinner outdoors in a separate grassy area, dancing, parking, restrooms and places for the bridal party and vendors to prepare.
• Flexibility: The staff was willing to let us decorate and orchestrate the evening pretty much any way we wanted (Katie wanted, that is!)
• Ease: Their staff set up, broke down, and cleaned it all up. We love that part.
• The garden/outside areas: Beautiful and well maintained. The greenery and architectural accents made for gorgeous twilight photos.
  

Things we didn't like about The Victorian...

• Parking: Katie and Jon's wedding consisted of about 85 guests and many had to park down the street.
• Trash: There is a staircase leading from the house down into the garden where guests enjoyed dinner and the area beneath the staircase were literal PILES of trash. We hoped this was something only we noticed but still, extremely unattractive.
• Our assigned DJ: He was awful. And we don't give negative reviews or feedback on a whim. First, we hadn't met with him before the day of the wedding because The Victorian's owners assured us they had years and years of DJ experience and they knew exactly what we wanted, which songs to avoid and which ones to play. Second, about a half hour before the ceremony was scheduled to begin he told me he couldn't find his list of songs for the ceremony so we gave him a program to use to prepare and follow along. When it came down to it, he missed a cue for music and after I brought it to his attention that a song should be playing, he didn't know Bach. Dead air is not good during a ceremony! Also, we had chosen a specific version of the Wedding March and it wasn't right. Awful. Thankfully, Katie and Jon were so into the moment they didn't notice, but WE did. It irks us when things don't go perfectly for reasons that could have (should have) been avoided. Add to that, the DJ was cheesy and came off as unsure of himself and disorganized. We will take some responsibility here and say that we should have insisted on meeting with the DJ during the rehearsal. Lesson learned.
• Availability of staff: We found it difficult to find The Victorian staff the day of the wedding. Groomsmen were downstairs getting ready in the dark because there weren't enough functioning lights in the basement and one of the toilets upstairs in the brides room wasn't working properly AND there wasn't any toilet paper (tragic)-- yet we couldn't find anyone to help. We will say that once the wedding ceremony began the staff was present and attentive through the end of the event.

If you are considering The Victorian at Hemphill Mansion for your wedding or another event, it is a great choice. Just be sure meet with the people helping coordinate the day ahead of time and walk the grounds to look for anything out of place early so you can get it corrected before guests arrive.

All in all, we will definitely recommend this venue in the future for those wanting a budget-friendly event at an "all inclusive" location. If you've been to the Victorian and have other feedback please leave a comment below! We welcome reader opinions.

Feature Friday: The Peasant and the Pear

Today is a Pear Tree Feature Friday first-- we are featuring a venue! We couldn't think of a better locale to share than The Peasant and the Pear in Danville, California. The Peasant and the Pear was the site for Heidi's Baby Shower last May and since then we have been itching to find another excuse to host a party there.

If you didn't know it was there, you could easily pass by The Peasant and the Pear while walking down the streets of downtown Danville and never know it. The rear entrance is tucked back away from the street between two charming brick buildings and before you reach the door you are surrounded by patio seating in a quaint garden-like area with a few small tables. There is street parking available near the main thoroughfare however if you drive around to the main entrance, away from the hustle and bustle of the main street, there is a separate parking lot with ample parking.

When we arrived for Heidi's baby shower to set up, the restaurant manager immediately offered two of the hostesses to help us unpack and set up. Every staff member we had the pleasure dealing with was unbelievably friendly and willing to assist.

Here is The Peasant and the Pear's story:

San Ramon’s Bishop Ranch was the site of the world’s largest pear orchard around the turn of the last century. This fact, paired with our rustic menu, gave us the idea for our name. We opened The Peasant & The Pear in San Ramon in April, 2004. We quickly outgrew our space, and moved to a much larger and more beautiful facility in downtown Danville in February, 2006. Our location may have changed, but the most important things remain the same: our name, our fresh, seasonal menus, and our dedication to offering delicious, unpretentious food and friendly service at fair prices. We promise to do our very best to bring you a wonderful experience, and look forward to having a long relationship with the communities of Danville, San Ramon, and beyond. Enjoy!

The Peasant and the Pear is perfect for an intimate lunch or a festive party for 40. There is a semi-private area in the back of the restaurant and the gracious staff will help you select the perfect menu, whether it be a full lunch, appetizers, or simply cocktails.

If you're ever in Danville, stop in and see for yourself. We promise you won't be disappointed!