Designing Services – Mira {Weddings Events & Design}

The Sustainable Table – Your Holiday Table Style Guide

December 15, 2017December 14, 2017 by Boss Lady

sustainable table decorations for the holidays

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! We love the holidays for a variety of reasons: the food, the family, the jolly spirit, and of course, the decor! Helping clients design their holiday tablescape is one of our favorite ways to get into the holiday spirit, and this year we decided to do something we have never done before to get into the mood.

Welcome to first ever holiday table style guide! We have taken some of our favorite designs and broken them down to show you how to recreate the same style in your own home. Furthermore, we have worked hard to embrace sustainability in every aspect of the design. Each element shown has some sort of sustainable feature- whether its environmentally friendly, sourced from a local small business, or has a social responsibility factor. This consciousness is something we aim to include in all future designs and events, one of the exciting changes happening for MIRAwed in 2018!

For now, sit back and enjoy some fun holiday inspiration!

Urban Glam

Everyone who lives in the city will tell you that they love the energy that comes with the location. Whether its San Francisco, Phoenix, or somewhere in between, we love integrating the industrial feel of a big city with cozy elements to create something multidimensional, trendy, and of course glamorous.

Associate Planner Kristan Shamus took the lead on designing this urban glam holiday table, complete with fabulous copper touches and modern, earthy elements. Imagine a table full of fine glass and crystal details softened by wooden and pine greenery while your TV broadcasts the yule log in tune to classic holiday music and you sip a delicious holiday cocktail… perfection!

Sustainability notes: In addition to being stunningly gorgeous, copper can be recycled 100%, which means that even if the dishware gets tossed after a few years it can still be put to good use. Soy candles are both trendy and sustainable with a cleaner burn that traditional wax candles. Dried lunaria can last for several uses if properly cared for, and looks great in a wide variety of designs.

Como Copper Flatware from Pleasanton Party Rentals
Copper Charger from Pleasanton Party Rentals
Ivory Dolce Napkin from Pleasanton Party Rentals
Soy Candles
Cranberry Moscow Mule recipe found on Joyfully Healthy Eats
Pure Glassware from Pleasanton Party Rentals
Personalized gift box from Sugar & Chic Shop
/ 12. Glamorous Decor from Your Vintage Affair
Oak Leaves, Seeded Eucalyptus and Oregonia Garland from Pacific Coast Evergreen
Snowflake Wine Charm from Lamas Creations
Hand-Blown Glass Decor from Allison Kreft Designs
(see 8.)
Dried Lunaria
Dried Thistle
Sola Wood Flowers from The Wooden Menagerie

Mountain Boho

Nothing says winter like a cozy cabin in the mountains. Tahoe winters are truly magical, and we wanted to bring some of that inherent beauty into the design of this table. Our fall intern, Tesia took the lead on sourcing many of the elements for this bohemian inspired, rustic design.

Pine and wood are two favorite elements to integrate into any holiday design table. By adding a little bit of local charm you can transform your table into something that is both calm and bright.

Sustainability Notes: Gauze and silk, when made organically from a local source, are some of the most sustainable materials out there. They can transform any table design to add a whimsical and/or romantic touch. We love using them for any season, but cozied up next to some locally sourced pine twigs and under the glow of a soy candle might be our most favorite of all!

Gauze table runner, such as available from Tan Weddings & Events
“Fiddle” Stainless Steel Flatware from Celebrations Party Rentals
/ 7. / 8. Pine garland, modern autumn wreath, and woodsy white mason jar arrangements, such as available from Twine & Dandy
Hand-made ceramic dinner plates, as available from Jered’s Pottery
Hammered Copper mugs from Stuart Party Rentals
Scented soy candles, locally made by Once Upon a Candle
(see 3.)
(see 3.)
Wood stump seating cards, as available from Menakshee Designs

Winter Desert

Even if there is no snow, the desert can be a magical place in the winter time. The frigid air over a subtle colorscape makes for an inspired view. For this design, compiled by lead designer Miranda Meisenbach, we wanted to showcase some of that natural inspiration.

Using elements native to Arizona, we created a design that would fit into any southwestern home with a simple color palette and light texture. We didn’t want to just go for the iconic saguaro motif like most typical desert designs, but that didn’t stop us from integrating our famous cactus in smaller details.

Supporting local businesses was also a highlight of this design, most strikingly in the custom wood table pictured in the collage. No dining room table is complete without a striking table, and we cannot resist good craftmanship. One of our preferred vendors, Stems & Style, has teamed up with local craftsman Neft Pichardo on a line of high end wooden tables available for rent. Neft has over 25 years of experience and specializes in high end woodwork and custom finishes.

Sustainability Notes: Sourcing local goods reduces greenhouse emissions caused by the entire consumer marketplace. The less distance a product has to travel to get from manufacturer to retailer to customer the more environmentally friendly! Shopping local is the best thing and individual can do for the local economy. Utilizing locally foraged elements such as octotillo bones, pine, cotton, and pinecones is fun, sustainable, and available closer than you might think!

Small succulents (painted or not) act as great place card holders
This adorable stone saguaro, along with other amazing decor, available from Olivewood Designs
/ 9. Ocotillo bones with locally foraged pine and pinecones created by MIRA Events + Design
Custom built wood table by Neft Pichardo via Stems & Style
Ceramic Dinnerware, as available from CatsEyePottery
Gold Cactus Mug from Practical Art
Cotton inspiration, as shown by Only Deco Love
Hemp or organic cotton napkins, as available from A Well Worn Story
(see #3)
Ceramic Tiles and other local artisan crafts, as available from Arizona Gifts
Gold modern flatware, available for rent from The Confetti Studio

Let Us Help!

We LOVE bringing a vision together. The holidays are hectic enough, let us step in and help! We offer custom design services, as well as small piece decor rental and installation services. Contact us today- its not too late to get the holiday table of your dreams!

Happy Holidays!

Love, Team MIRA

Melissa + Gus California Chic Avila Beach Wedding

August 13, 2018November 11, 2017 by Boss Lady

Life has a beautiful way of bringing people back into your lives at just the right moment. That’s what happened when Melissa (or Missy, as I had known her for most of my life) sought us out to plan her wedding to long time boyfriend, Gus. It was such an honor to be asked by not only someone you had known forever to plan their wedding, but someone of such style and taste. Working with Missy and Gus was going to be fun, that was for sure.

Besides being a super fun experience, working with Missy and Gus was easy. Missy was organized and decisive, without being overbearing. She knew what she wanted and trusted us to find the right resources. She was flexible and collected while remaining steadfast on her vision. Gus was perfectly resourceful as well in helping source the videography team and selecting the photographer (incredibly talented and oh so charming Ginny Silver). They were a perfect example of a couple working together, and working with them was an absolute dream.

Missy and Gus’ California wedding was a perfect fusion of lively outdoor and beachy romantic vibes. Modern, boho inspired touches gave the whole event a chic and carefree air with lots of attention to small details.

Romantic Beach Wedding Venue

The entire event was held at Avila Beach Golf Resort in Avila Beach, California. This property is extremely diverse and well laid out, so guests really had a chance to migrate through event spaces and have different experience for each section of the day. The ceremony took place on a grass meadow next to a peaceful estuary, with just the right amount of ambient noise from the beach. The cocktail hour was held in the venue’s Beach Clubhouse, a charming space that featured an outdoor patio for guests to enjoy a bit of the California summer sun. For dinner and dancing, guests were seated at long rows of farm tables under the stars on the venue’s main lawn area. Adirondack chairs flanked firepits down towards the estuary, giving guests a peaceful respite from the energetic dance floor.

California Chic Wedding Design

Missy wanted to keep her palette classic and neutral, sticking with ivories, creams, beiges, with just a touch of blush pink and warm gray. We decided to lean heavily on greenery with statement blooms for a looser, more organic feel. To add in a touch of modernity, we punctuated the design with gold and champagne gold elements such as the geometric accent arrangements used in cocktail hour and during dancing.

We found a true gem in Adornments Flowers when we met and started working with Laurel and her team. With great craft and care, Laurel and her team elevated our vision with their impeccable installations, including one of the most gorgeous flower arches I have ever seen! Along with romantic silk chiffon runners from Party Crush Studios, as well as custom signage from our in-house designer Menakshee Designs and top-notch rentals from All About Events, we were able to help Missy and Gus realize a wedding that truly represented embodied their vision.

Best Caterer in Town

When I first met Heather of Splash Cafe, I can honestly say I was speechless. Her energy and passion (not to mention killer sense of humor) was both refreshing and contagious- I literally could not have asked for a better vendor partner on this project. Heather and her team performed seamlessly, orchestrating the entire set-up, break-down, food production and service of the entire event without a hitch. The food was delicious, with guests dining family style on true California dishes such tri-tip, roasted brussel sprouts, and margherita flatbread.

A Wedding Day Full of Family and Love

Overall, the day was perfect. Missy wore a gorgeous Hayley Paige gown while Gus looked perfect in a Jos. A. Bank suit. Their sweet and moving ceremony started with a friend of the bride’s late mother singing as Melissa walked down the aisle. The couple also included their lovable fur baby, Saint, in the ceremony- although his adorable back wriggling nearly stole the show! The warm, familial energy carried into the evening with heartfelt speeches and toasts before ramping into a full on dance party which included an epic garter removal.

Towards the end of the evening, firepits surrounded by Adirondack chairs were lit and guests were able to kick off their shoes, fire up a s’more, and enjoy the perfect end to a truly perfect day.

Thank you, Missy + Gus, for letting us be a part of your gorgeous day!

We are OBSESSED with the photos from the event, done by the genius that is Ginny Silver of Retrospect Images. Take a look at some of our favorites!

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Venue: Avila Beach Golf Resort

Coordination + Design: MIRA Events + Design

Photography: Retrospect Images

Videography: Steelhead Cinema

Catering: Splash Cafe

Rentals: All About Events

Silk Runners: PartyCrushStudios

DJ: Caliber DJs

Bridal Hair: Hair by Nicole Wasserman

Bridal Gown: Hayley Paige

Groom Suit: Jos. A. Bank

Bridesmaids Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu

Miranda is Speaking at the La Femme Workshop!

January 25, 2017 by Boss Lady

The La Femme Workshop by Boudoir Collective

Its time for a very special announcement! Miranda is taking her first step into the world of industry education as a speaker for the highly anticipated La Femme workshop happening April 25th-28th at the White Sparrow Barn in Quinlan, TX.

In addition to styling all 6 of the shoots taking place throughout the conference, Miranda will be speaking on the subtle art of story telling through styling.

Too often, forcing details in a shoot can detract from the intended subject- in this case, the woman being photographed. Boudoir photography is about celebrating the female form, and effectively styling a shoot can be deceptively difficult.

Miranda looks forward to meeting lots of new faces throughout this experience! A full list of speakers can be found here, and registration for the La Femme workshop is now open!

All photos by Peaches & Twine Fine Art Photography

Erica + Zach’s Fairytale Adventure Nestldown Wedding

December 13, 2016 by Boss Lady

Beauty breeds beauty.

Being a preferred Nestldown wedding coordinator is certainly a privilege, and one we are very grateful to have. Not only because Nestldown is one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful venues we have ever seen, but because the people that get married there tend to be really awesome people.

Erica and Zach were absolutely no exception. From our first consultation we clicked tremendously, a connection that would last through the wedding day and beyond. They are down to earth, organized, funny, and great to look at- a wedding planners dream. Even better was their theme: an integration of their favorite Disney, sci-fi, and adventure movies and books including but not limited to Beauty and the Beast, Harry Potter, and Up!

Um. Hell yes.

We worked on virtually every detail of Erica and Zach’s special day. First it was enlisting Poetry in Motion catering to provide the perfect mix of comfort foods and gourmet treats to fit a formal yet relaxed affair. Then it was signing on our favorite DJ Jazzy Thunder (aka. Turner Hayes) of Elite Entertainment to provide the sounds for a perfect party. Erica and Zach used personal contacts to fill their photography and videography needs, introducing us to two new awesome vendors in the process: Karla Rodriguez Videography and Gavin Leane Photography. Now it was time for the REAL fun stuff.

Whimsy, Adventure, and Gorgeousness.

For any fairytale inspired wedding, great flowers are a must. It was up to the very capable team at Seascape Flowers to produce a floral design fit for a princess. Darcy and her team did amazing, mixing the requested Japanese anemones with some of the most gorgesous cafe dahlias we have ever seen. Mix that with touches of mercury and rose gold metallics and neutral linens and you will find our personal type of heaven.

Next were the tiny, personal details. Since the goal was to integrate several different movies into one event design we decided to work with non-obtrusive accent decor scattered throughout the event. The welcome table and guest tables included gold mirros and signage covered cloches. A handpainted mailbox was used to collect cards. Moss covered books, old cameras, and globes made up the bartop decor. The rings were carried in seashell containers.

Even with the plethora of inspiration from their favorite movies, it was important to Erica and Zach to integrate some of their respective cultures into their wedding day. In addition to the Japanese anemones, Erica and her family spent hours creating and stringing the traditional 1,001 paper cranes for us to use during the ceremony and then later on in the reception for dancing. Zach’s culture was brought in during the dancing portion of the reception when the group performed the most intense hora I have ever witnessed. Seriously, it lasted at least 7 minutes and the energy reveberated across the entire mountainside.

Last but certainly not least was the inclusion of a fun, interactive element. The Booth Bus is a refurbished vintage VW Bus that has been converted into an awesome photobooth. Anthony and his team provide everything, including the light up marquee and fun props. During every operating minute, there was a line in front of the bus- guests could simply not get enough!

Erica and Zach’s Nestldown wedding was one of those events that you’re so excited about, you almost wish they could get married all over again. We consider them dear friends and look forward to our next Nestldown wedding adventure!

A big thank you to the vendor team!

Venue: Nestldown, LLC

Coordination + Design: MIRA Events + Design

Catering: Poetry In Motion Catering

DJ: Elite Entertainment

Photographer: Gavin Leane Photography

Videography: Karla Rodriguez Videography

Florist: Seascape Flowers

Photobooth: The Booth Bus

Hair and Make-Up: Kelly Jones

Transportation: Corinthian Parking

Specialty Rentals: The Test of Time Vintage Rentals

Vrinda + Jason’s Vintage Mexican Wedding

November 17, 2016October 25, 2016 by Boss Lady

Vintage Mexican Wedding

Bride Vrinda came to us with a desire for a vintage inspired, Mexican culture infused wedding at her and fiance Jason’s incredible property in the Santa Cruz mountains. We were all in with her vision, and looked forward to creating a beautiful, yet economical, wedding day for them.

From the very beginning, this wedding was practically a 24/7 obsession bringing details to life. With a conservative budget, we knew that many of the “wow” factors for this wedding would need to come from DIY or other handcrafted elements.

ISO: Mexican Wedding Caterer

First on the list was to find the perfect authentic Mexican caterer. Lucky for us, Casa Vicky’s Restaurant in San Jose has been a consistent resource for great food and professional presentation.We worked alongside Jason and Vrinda to and the team at Casa Vicky’s to cultivate a diverse menu with plenty of vegetarian options.

Santa Cruz Wedding Photographer

Next was the perfect photographer to capture the details of the day. Vrinda had a great experience with Devi Pride Photography, who photographed her sister’s wedding. Boy did Devi deliver! She was easy to work with and went above and beyond on the day of (I even caught her on the floor of the Jason and Vrinda’s house almost an hour after I thought she had left for the day, working on the perfect ring shot inside of Vrinda’s gorgeous bouquet).

Vrinda has established herself as a top expert on online marketing and lead conversion, with a lot of experience hosting her own events. It was through our mutual friend Leonard Ybarra of Music Plus Events that we were connected in the first place, so of course he was the best fit to keep Jason and Vrinda’s guests rocking on the dance floor all night long. His clean presentation and upbeat personality added a great energy to the evening.

Vintage Mexican Wedding Decor

Finally it was time to get to the fun stuff- the design! Jason and Vrinda’s mountain property is as stunning as can be. The property’s whimsical and organic elements made fusing together the soft, vintage cultural vibe of Vrinda’s vision both fun and innovative. Sassy Diva Designs did an incredible job bringing together the vibrant color palette with wow-factor blooms in our MIRA Private Collection authentic Mexican vases.

The Stuart Rental Company was the main supplier of our rental needs, including the handsome farm tables used for the head table. All of these vendors, along with specialty vendors for details such as papel picado, paper flowers, and mariachi came together for a beautiful and unique vintage Mexican wedding.