As an event stylist, there are always things that I happen to learn along the way. Like when couples get engaged for the first time. Did you know that when two love birds get engaged, the event is called, the Proposal? It’s not called, the Engagement. That’s ANOTHER event. So many to keep track of!
How I learned of this distinction was when I was asked to locate a photographer to take photos of the Proposal moment. I specified that I’d like photos taken of the actual Engagement and she quickly corrected me. A-ha! You learn something new every day as a life stylist. Side note: For a Proposal or Engagement, I recommend JeLau Photography and Anastasia Novosyolova-Blatt Photography.
When planning any event, I use my professional event styling skills to pick the perfect location, select a theme, plan the décor, create a fun menu, and of course, add as many wow moments as possible! If you have a special event coming up and need help making it memorable, Just Ask!
The Location
As I was privy to this proposal ahead of time, I made arrangements to have a family dinner party. The Proposal took place in Carmel, California at Casanova, a charming location for the celebration. I called months ahead of time to make a reservation and to obtain the perfect dining spot in the restaurant.
The Theme
The theme was all about “popping the question.” It was the Fourth of July weekend so red, white, and blue were the colors of choice. Easy and fun!
The Décor
The décor was fun to create. I always begin with the choice of flowers. I discovered a whimsical florist called Burst + Bloom in Carmel and they were fantastic to work with. I described exactly how I wanted the flowers to be presented on a table set for 12. They used all white flowers in six small bud vases of different sizes. Perfection!
I ordered blue personalized napkins with the newly engaged couple’s names on them from Zazzle and placed red, white, and blue straws in each guest’s glassware. Tip: Etsy is a perfect place to find fun and fashionable party décor. For a special touch, handwritten red, white and blue place cards were at each place setting.
The table top was decorated with several different-sized framed photos of the couple. Their faces lit up when they saw their photos throughout their time of dating. It was priceless!
To stay in step with the “popping the question” theme, I filled petite cellophane bags with popcorn tied with twine with a hanging tag that said, “He popped the question, I said yes!” I also scattered candy ring pops at every place setting. For some extra wow, a red, white and blue t-shirt was created for the groom-to-be that said, “I popped the question!” And one for the bride-to-be that said, “I said yes!”
The Celebration Cake
I ordered a large tiramisu cake from one of my favorite bakeries in Carmel called Lafayette Bakery. It was delicious and a perfect accompaniment to the Italian dinner at Casanova. I placed red, white, and blue sparkly sticks on the cake that said, “I asked.” and “She said, yes!”
The Extra Wow
A painted personalized bottle of Veuve Clicquot with the names of the couple and the date of the proposal was front and center on the table as well as a personalized card for the couple saying, “you’re engaged!” with sweet sentiments inside.
On the Fourth of July, you cannot go without sparklers! I ordered 6-foot sparklers and some that could be taped onto champagne bottles for that added extra "je ne sais quoi."
Proposals, engagements, showers, and weddings are all special times to celebrate love. And they’re some of the most fun to plan!
What’s not to love?
