ELEVATED PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MODERN WOMEN BY WOMEN

Hello lovelies! In case we haven’t been introduced, I’m Morgan Elizabeth, production assistant extrordinaire here at Milou + Olin. Just when I thought I couldn’t be any more saturated with all things wedding related, I was proposed to! I was prepared for the immediate flurry of excitement that rippled through my family and friends (we had been dating for seven years, I think they were getting antsy!) but not the simultaneous wedding planning questions launched my way! Opinions and advice came from every corner, and friction between family members surfaced faster than I ever expected.

I am a very laid-back, stress-avoidant person, and I didn’t take any of this well. I went from the girl with five wedding Pinterest boards, to the girl who developed a stomachache whenever I glanced at a wedding magazine. I just wanted to enjoy my engagement!

Enter Blu Bungalow! I was already acquainted with this hip little SF one-stop-shop for fabulous wedding vendors through Caroline, but I had no idea what I was in for when I signed up for their venue tour contest on Facebook. Two weeks after getting engaged, I’d won spots for me and a friend on their South Bay/Peninsula tour and I’m ashamed to say I wasn’t that excited. Big Day drama was already getting to me, and I thought I’d spend the day in a lackluster haze of wedding confusion. Attempting to put all of it aside, I grabbed my friend Courtney and we armed ourselves with lattes before heading into the city.

As soon as we stepped inside Blu Bungalow, we were immediately greeted by Hazel Bourget’s (seriously) gorgeous smiling face, and directed to the mimosas and pastries. The entire room was buzzing with excitement and chatter, while Elizabeth of Skyla Arts and Nicole from Blush touched up willing participants for the day ahead. Courtney and I waited for an open spot and got tips on blush, contouring, and lip color – talk about pampering! Already my wedding headache was subsiding as the girls “oohed” and “aahed” over my new ring, and we exchanged stories of why we were venue hunting.

Then we were ushered outside where a “Blu” carpet (so awesome!) was rolled out by Pure Luxury shuttles and we piled into our comfy seats to set out on our adventure. Suzy Clement, our paparazzi for the day, talked wedding photography and answered pertinent questions, followed by Matthieu of Cinematt who (after previewing some of his amazing work) made us all realize we REALLY needed him to capture our weddings.

I don’t want to bore you with a novel here, so I’ll sum up my favorite highlights of the day with some photos and recap.

Classic Party Rentals, where Mindy Roark showed us so many options for table settings that I was spinning in a heaven of designer goblets, luxury textured linens, and chivari chairs.

Rosewood Hotel – when we pulled up, custom champagne cocktails and white glove service greeted us at the door! Todd Outhouse and his staff escorted us around the breathtaking grounds of this spa-esque retreat and I fell in love with the giant polished wood installations in the foyer and colorful pops of modern art that covered each wall. (Tip: I took my parents and fiance back here, and we had AMAZING drinks out on the spacious lounge-y patio. Fiance got a cocktail with habanero-infused tequila!) Karen of Huckleberry Karen Designs gave a fun little talk about wedding florals while we gathered around her “enchanted forest” styled table.

Thomas Fogarty Winery – Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains, this spot is ideal for an intimate garden-style wedding. The views were beyond incredible, and the variety of indoor/outdoor spaces is really versatile. A little storybook, a little winery, and a little lodge are all mixed into this adorable venue. We were treated to acoustic spanish guitar  by solo guitarist Gabriel Navia (courtesy of Entire Productions), delicious Thomas Fogarty wine,  and listened to Thomas of  Thomas John Events give us some insight into his forward-thinking catering before ascending into food heaven with a gourmet lunch. The beautiful tablescape was crafted by Janece & Lori of Every Elegant Detail along with Karen at Huckleberry Karen Designs. By now the wine, beautiful venues, and enthusiastic talks from some of the best vendors the Bay can offer, had gotten inside my head. Courtney and I gushed over the food, she declared Thomas Fogarty her future wedding venue, and we were off to the last stop of the day.

If I could bully my mother into a smaller wedding guest list, I already know where I’d be saying “I do”. La Costanera, a very cool, Michelin-star rated Peruvian restaurant located right on the edge of the ocean in Montara, just north of Half Moon Bay, was our last and most wonderful stop. When we finally wrenched our eyes away from the amazing beachfront views, we headed to the bottom floor where DJ Eric Yee and his Spintronix team were set up with some tunes, and Annemarie of 8 Count taught us some basic moves – I’ve expanded my repertoire beyond booty shaking and the twist!  We then had some killer drinks, were shown around the restaurant by Eric, our host, and taken to a secluded glass-enclosed patio where we were treated to spicy, flavorful bites. I’ll definitely be back for more, and be viciously jealous of whoever gets married here.

Sleepy, happy, full, the bus toted us back to San Francisco where we were further indulged by Liliana and her signature mobile spa party (SPArty!). A scented neck massage got rid of any residual wedding planning knots, and we gabbed with our fellow tour-goers for a good hour after the festivities were through.

Did I mention we got ridiculous swag bags? Magazines, guides, makeup, spa treatments from Rosewood, dancing socks from 8 Count, and tons of other goodies that went far beyond pamphlets and printouts.

I want to personally thank Hazel, her team, and all the fabulous vendors and venues that let me find the magic in wedding planning and de-stress for one amazing day. If you get the chance to sign up for one of these tours (there were three of them, I only caught one!) DO NOT MISS IT.  Courtney thanked me profusely for being my plus one throughout the day and into the next week! I also have to mention that Rachel, Hazel’s amazing intern, is now my new SF soulmate – and I’ll hit you up for coffee the next time I brave the city.

So to recap, Blu Bungalow can throw one heck of a party, there are some amazing wedding venues and vendors in the Bay, and I’ve regained my footing in the adventure that is wedding planning. Cheers!! xoxo – Morgan Elizabeth

Photography Credit: Suzy Clement!