Once upon a time…

Wait…no.  This is no fairy tale!

A long time ago, in a galaxy…

Hold on.  Scratch that – that’s not it either.

OK, here’s the deal:  My name is Laura Guerrie and I am the owner of Rebel Belle Weddings.  Several years ago I took my natural skills (creative, organized, proudly geek-ish) and founded this business to help all kinds of couples experience the type of wedding they envision with a minimum of hassle and a maximum of fun.  My core belief is that the “rules” of wedding planning are meant to be bent, broken or thrown out completely and that, in the end, it’s really up to you – not the wedding industry – as to what defines a spectacular wedding day.  Thanks in large part to this philosophy, my crew and I have had some amazing experiences ranging from sweet, simple backyard ceremonies to a giant T-Rex in the middle of a wedding!  This stuff is just too good to keep to ourselves, so we invite you to join us on the ride:  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and check back here to see highlights of…The Adventures of Rebel Belle!

People often ask me what my brides are like, to which I reply that my brides “are like couples.” A majority of my clients work together as a team, they are equally invested in the planning process, and I am usually in direct communication with both parties. At a time where much of the wedding industry is just beginning to understand that Grooms Are People Too, I feel pretty fortunate.

RBW clients Robert and Lisa are a really great example of the “couple client” and they’ve chosen to vlog their wedding planning process, in part, to show just how well co-planning can work. Creative, DIY and self-proclaimed “kind of nuts,” these two represent what I would call the Ultimate Über Mega Prototype Rebel Belle Client. OK, so not everyone has quite the…um…extreme theme that they do and different levels of involvement work for different people. But Robert and Lisa are a couple very much in love and having a ton of fun working their butts off planning a wedding together – and THIS is representative of what I see in many of my clients.  Therefore, to answer the question “What are Rebel Belle couples like?” I present to you Robert and Lisa as they discuss love, family and (attempt to) describe their spectacular wedding theme: Super Happy Funtime Robotland!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

When the new wedding blog WhenGeeksWed appeared on my radar earlier this year, it reminded me of being a kid and going over to a new friend’s house only to discover they had the BEST TOYS! This is truly a wedding blog after my own heart, so when they asked if they could interview me for their “The Force Is Strong With These Vendors” series, I jumped at the chance.

To read the full interview, and for loads of geek-a-licous wedding inspiration, click on the image below and head on over to WhenGeeksWed!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Last year, RBW had the good fortune of being chosen by Ai and John to plan their (*deep breath in*) vintage-inspired, multi-cultural Japanese-Irish vegan wedding reception (and *exhale*) on board the glorious Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. A wedding planner outside the Los Angeles area recently mentioned to me how blessed Southern Californians are to have so many choices when it comes to wedding venues with character. She’s right, of course, and I’d have to say that this royal steamship turned hotel – rich in history, ornate in authentic décor and allegedly haunted – is one of the most intriguing of them all.

The Queen Mary departed on its maiden voyage in 1936, and Ai and John specifically requested to stay true to the era without going overboard (pardon the pun!) into costume party kitsch. The elaborate detail of the ballroom meant that less-was-more when it came to adding décor, so floral was kept minimal with a variety of non-floral touches added to both blend with and enhance the environment.

A vegan feast was custom prepared and followed by a selection of both vegan and non-vegan cupcakes, including a “green velvet” option chosen to honor the groom’s Irish roots.

Look closely - those are some velvety-licious green cupcakes!

To keep the entertainment in line with the time period, we brought a movie-set quality photo booth in, complete with a variety of vintage inspired props.

The evening’s festivities were rounded out by The Dustbowl Revival Band who provided high-energy, authentic, 1930′s style tunes that had guests up on their feet and dancing all night long.

The moment I first sat down to consult with Ai, she looked at me and stated: “I hate weddings.” When all was said and done and we parted ways, she wrote me a note that said, in part: “I loved my wedding!” That, my friends, is a good day at work here at RBW.

Happy Anniversary Ai and John! This St. Patrick’s day, I promise to raise a green cupcake and toast in your honor!

Photography by Ryan Williams, Rawtography

Friday, February 3, 2012

Teeny Tiny Natural History Vegan Hot Dog Wedding

Part I

(Stop for a moment and say that title again to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and you’ll get where I was going with that. And for those who did that automatically without being told, big shiny extra credit gold star for you!)

Just this past weekend RBW had the pleasure of helping Amber and Jeff, two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, put together their intimate vegan wedding and reception at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum. And thanks to our new friends Sarah and Joshua over at Arrow & Apple Photography (two MORE of the nicest people you’ll ever meet!), we have access to a sneak peek in record time!

From Amber’s sparkle-star headband, ruffles and tattoos to Jeff’s Vans and custom bat-tie, these two were as adorable as it gets – very much in love and having a SO much fun as they celebrated with their closest friends and family.

By the way, did you catch that I said “bat-tie?” Didn’t think you’d miss that. Hand made for the groom and his guys by Amber’s maid of honor and Pretty. Darn. Cool.

Even the little dino centerpieces were as sweet as can be:

To see more, head over to Arrow & Apple’s blog and then stay tuned here for Part II where we’ll tell you more about the most delicious, spooky, kitschy, tasty vegan food we’ve ever had!

To be continued…

 Photography by Arrow & Apple 

**Love**

January 25, 2012

This week marks Meghann and Josh’s first anniversary of getting “weddinged.” After eloping the previous year, they formally celebrated their union on January 29, 2011 with family and friends at the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena, California.

UU Chalice

Personal touches were everywhere in this color-infused ceremony featuring a couple of very adorable little Disney princesses serving as Bubble Gun Girls, a drop-dead-gorgeous dramatic red gown, and vibrant paper bouquets and boutonnieres.

Happy Happy Weddinged Day!

Husband and Wife - Again!

Hand Crafted Paper Bouquets

(Pssst – wanna know a secret? These unique floral-alternatives, crafted by Bookworm Eats Flower, contained an extra-special personal touch: At some point after they met, Meghann and Josh discovered they had each written a college thesis on the same, somewhat obscure, topic. Meghann was able to dig up a copy of that thesis and send it to the floral designer who then incorporated the document into her bridal bouquet!)

What do you think it says??

Meghann and Josh came to RBW after completing what they referred to as “the fun part” of their planning process, and it really was our pleasure to help them bring it all together. So it is with many fond memories that we say: Happy Weddinged-Versary, Meghann & Josh. May your future be filled with lots of love, rainbows and cupcakes galore!

Disney + Cupcakes = Happily Ever After!

Photography by Douglass McNamee Photography

Pretending to be Bossy McPlanner (Photo by Megan Finley Photography)

January 11, 2012

Happy New Year everyone!  And to the recently engaged: congratulations and welcome.

Often times when people first get engaged the planning bug sneaks up quickly and takes them over like a surreptitious zombie attack.  One minute you’re thinking you’re going to enjoy a leisurely engagement period and, the next thing you know, after taking “just a little peek” at some funky wedding fashions – chomp! - you’ve been bitten and are wondering how you managed to create forty-two separate Pinterest boards as you head off to work swirly-eyed on two hours of sleep.

With so much input from so many places, it’s pretty easy these days to get your panties in a bunch over all kinds of planning issues – so much so that it can spoil what should be a fun process just moments after you begin.  This is why I’ve decided to try something new in 2012 by sprinkling the Adventures page with occasional bits of sane, grounding planning advice.  My goal is to inoculate you a little bit, get those undies in a more comfortable place, and keep you moving forward so you can enjoy the ride.

Because SOMEONE needs to do it! (Photo by Rawtography)

Let’s begin with a general question I hear repeatedly:

“Is that bad??”

This question customarily references a planning choice the couple is considering for either creative or financial reasons and comes in a variety of forms:

“The venue is open to the public during our wedding.  Is that bad?”

 “Is it bad that we really want cupcakes?”

“Our wedding is pretty traditional, except for the fact that we’d really like to have a TARDIS at the reception.  Is that bad?”

What did we ever do to hurt you?? (Photo by Doug McNamee)

My initial response is almost always the same: No, it’s not bad.  I pretty much say that regardless because I really don’t care for branding anything “bad” or “good” when it comes to weddings.  I much prefer you do what feels right for you.

That being said, something did prompt you to ask the question in the first place and it’s important to figure out just what might be tickling your brain. Did you see this on some kind of “no-longer-hot” list or are you concerned your guests will be uncomfortable?  Is it a budget issue or more that you feel you might really piss off Aunt Zelda?  Once you locate the core concern, you can make a more focused, thoughtful decision on how to answer the question.

If you asked my opinion, I would happily tell you that weddings with public access make me a touch nervous, cupcakes have never made anyone sad and spotting a random science fiction prop at a traditional wedding would make me want to high-five someone.  You’re welcome to factor those thoughts into the equation, but your answers might be different and yours are the ones that count.  To find your personal truth, put yourself in the role of the guest and evaluate each item from that perspective.  More often than not, you’ll find the answer is still: No, it’s not bad at all.

And we shall call it the TARDIS Tradition! (Photo by Rawtography)

Remember, you truly cannot please all the people all the time so trying will only lead to disappointment and frustration.  You and your intended are the ultimate decision makers.  If you create an environment that makes you both smile, that joy will be infectious and both you and the vast majority of your guests will have a blast.

Trust me, I’m a wedding planner.

~Laura

December 16, 2011

A while back we told you about Dorian and Lynn, their Millennium Falcon wedding cake and its Bounty Hunter guard.  Well, we promised you some more and more there is!

We offer this wedding as a perfect example of how to take the things you love and incorporate them into a ceremony and reception that is truly yours and yours alone.   For Dorian and Lynn, that meant choosing to get married at the the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Dressing up in clothing and accessories that rocked their respective worlds:

Getting married smack-dab in front of a T-Rex!

Incorporating references to Jurassic Park, Star Wars, World of Warcraft, Serenity and Battlestar Galactica into their ceremony and reception.

And choosing the museum diorama that most resembled the planet Hoth as the perfect location for their wedding cake.

Around Rebel Belle Headquarters, we nicknamed this wedding the “Dino/Star Wars Wedding” – but, to be honest, that isn’t quite right.  It’s not just Dino, not just Star Wars – and both doesn’t even do it justice.  This wedding can only be Dorian and Lynn’s spectacular wedding.  And THAT is what made it so darn cool!

Photography by Matt Miller and Jennifer Emerling, Our Labor of Love

(Read more about this wedding on Offbeat Bride!)

Post Script: Sometimes, when you’re really lucky, surprising friendships can develop out of a wedding vendor relationship.  Usually that involves getting together again for dinner or drinks.  Here is a far more interesting example that we never saw coming.  It turns out our Bounty Hunter is also an accomplished trapeze artist and, months after recruiting this man to guard her cake, watch as the bride takes her first lesson and trusts her wedding Bounty Hunter with her life:   

The Bride and The Bounty Hunter

]]> http://rebelbelleweddings.com/2011/12/dino-star-wars-wedding/feed/ 0 http://rebelbelleweddings.com/2011/11/the-first-wedding-on-the-jim-henson-company-lot/ http://rebelbelleweddings.com/2011/11/the-first-wedding-on-the-jim-henson-company-lot/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:40:04 +0000 admin http://rebelbelleweddings.com/?p=599

November 30, 2011

Muppet Fever is sweeping the nation and we couldn’t be happier!  But before the new movie hit theaters last weekend and everyone went all Muppet crazy (frantically waving arms), there was Suzanne and Luke – the couple who will forever hold the title of first to get married  wildest wedding “possibly most awesome couple” ever to get married on the Jim Henson Company Lot.*

Believe it or not, this was just last year!  Although The Henson Company had played host to plenty of Hollywood parties, high school proms and other soirées – up until July of 2010, no one had held a wedding at this truly historic location. (Or had they?  See editor’s note below.)

Childhood memories and Muppet fanaticism aside, one of the most wonderful things about this wedding was the couple’s sense of humor shining through in all the personal touches they included.

Sometimes, when there’s an eclectic mix of decor, a wedding guest will quietly ask us “What exactly is the theme of this wedding?” to which we usually reply “Things-The-Couple-Really-Likes.”  There really couldn’t be a better example of how to do that theme right!

In & Out Burger SEMI truck (pulled right on to the lot!), hand crafted personalized centerpieces based on…EVERYTHING!  On top of all that, Luke is also the one who figured out how to make a Lightsaber Cake Knife  – and then was kind enough to share the instructions!

We have to admit, we feel forever indebted to this super-fun couple for including us in their fantastic wedding plans.  Seriously, it was an honor to have played a part in this very special event!

(Photography by Megan Finley Photography)

(Read more about this wedding on Offbeat Bride!)

 *For many months we were under the impression this was the first wedding ceremony held on this property.  However, shortly after posting this piece on Twitter, we received word from another couple stating they were married on the Henson lot in 2008.  We therefore stand corrected and apologize to any other couples who were cool enough to get married in Muppet-land of whom we were not previously aware.  (However, until someone else pulls in a semi truck dispensing burgers next to an At-At cake, I think we’ll hang on to the title of  “possibly most awesome” for while!)  – Laura

Monday, November 14, 2011

When the awesome broads over at Offbeat Bride give us the opportunity to write a guest post, we get pretty excited and proud and honored…and a host of other adjectives that mean: HOORAY!  Please take a moment to click over there and read about our adventure in TV land aka Why Reality TV Is Missing The Boat With Non-Traditional Weddings.