Crumbs Bake Shop!

A few days ago I was pleasantly surprised when one of my friends brought over a HUGE cupcake like dessert for us. I immediately asked her where she found this amazing treat and was told Crumbs Bake Shop on west Madison. (303 W. Madison) The cupcake, I don't know if I can even call it that, was amazing! It was so filling and beautifully crafted, it resembled a mini cake. I would say it had the size of a muffin but the icing of a cake....AMAZING!

Half n Half Cupcake 

This particular cupcake was their Half n Half. White butter cream, topped with half vanilla cream cheese frosting mixed with chocolate chip crumbs and half chocolate fudge mixed with brownie pieces.



There is a lot of baked goods competition in Chicago and people need to know what sets the is bakery apart from Sprinkles, Bliss or Phoebe's cupcakes. I can honestly say, I have not had a cupcake like this. It tastes great on its on (and I know this, because I have left overs from the one I bought Tuesday) but it also is fabulous with ice cream- like a birthday cake. I have had tried Sprinkles and all the little cupcake boutiques in Chicago and really have found a hidden gem with Crumbs.

They offer several options: mix and match, a six pack, catering and more... Below are some of my favorite cupcakes and a few pictures of their "Colossal Cakes."

Key Lime

Try their cupcake of the month: Key Lime. Its a perfect vanilla cake filled vanilla butter cream frosted with a tart key lime cream cheese, decorated with white sprinkles around the edge! One of my personal favorites!

Red Velvet

They have the now common Red Velvet cupcake, which even tastes brand new and overwhelming in size (but in a good way!). That is the one that is in my fridge at the moment ;)


They offer a quick and easy solution to online ordering and I have taken a liking to it. Use their iPhone app to make small or large orders!

Their colossal cupcake looks like something a 1 year old would LOVE for that special birthday or even a unique sweetheart table centerpiece.

Chocolate Sundae Colossal 

Squiggle

And for what I am going back for today...the Squiggle! Its not your average chocolate cake...I have passed it twice and now know it needs be tried and its fine because its research...right?

While I can't condone eating them as much as I have since Monday, I can say the next time you are craving a sweet sin...Crumbs Bake Shop NEEDS to be at the top of your list!

If any of you try their cupcakes and love them as much as I DO! please let us know and spread the word!

Thanks again!
-I DO! Wedding & Event Design Team  
www.idoevent.com www.julienunneventdesign.com**follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook**

Sutter Street Garage

We were passing by a street florist on the way out of the Sutter street garage in San Francisco and were inspired by the alliums that they had to share! A modern, elegant, white angular furniture filled room with silver and lavender lighting came to mind.  **tiny versions of the flowers as boutineers would be incredible! 



Allium flowers grow from a bulb and make globe-shaped groups of flowers in lilac, light green, blue, white and pink. They are part of the lily family and the common names for the plant are garlic, flowering onion and onion. ***They can last from five to ten days in a vase.****


The use of this flower is endless and they can be used in the minimalist sense or in a romantic, decorative arrangement. They can range in size from smaller than an inch to the size of a pineapple and can be as small as a few inches to four feet. 

All flowers are known to symbolize something. This flower symbolizes unity, humility and patience. (according to "Brides Magazine: Flower Finder"). 

***Warning for pet owners and animal lovers!!!***

Any plants from the allium family can be toxic to cats and dogs, according to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association).

Thanks again and we hope these lovely flowers have inspired you. 






The I DO! Wedding & Event Design Team www.idoevent.com www.julienunneventdesign.com
**follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook**

Just say I DO! and WE"LL do the rest!

You’re all set and ready for your wedding day. The only thing to worry about now should be the upcoming celebrations leading up to your big day. But sometimes, as we well know, things do not go as planned.




v  The programs haven’t been mailed in or worse, they are incorrectly spelled…
v  The band forgets the first dance song…
v  A vendor gets their delivery time wrong…and then gets lost…
v  The catering manager leaves when their shift is over (10:00pm)  … your wedding ends at 12:00am.

v  You get your wedding album and you there a no shots of you and your mom with your dress on…
v  The wedding was beautiful and now you and your husband are a tad inebriated and want to go back to your honeymoon suite…you arrive to the room exactly how it was when you left…A MESS!

These are just a few things that have happened at weddings without some type of guidance. Your wedding day and all the days leading up to it should be stress and worry free. Yes, there will be obstacles that may arise; but knowing how to avoid or amend them is how you can ensure a seamless wedding day. The last month will be the most hectic time of all and our job is to make sure you never have to know why!

I DO! Wedding & Event Design offers a unique Month of Package for brides who didn’t need help in procuring vendors, venue and design assistance, but do need help in the final stretch. Services include but are not limited to: seating chart advice, preparation of wedding day timeline and on-site coordination on the day of the event.

While it is not recommend for a bride to think of every possible thing that can go wrong, it is important for her to be prepared. Hiring any type of planner is recommended for the day of your wedding- simply to keep a steady flow for the evening, to deflect any last minute drama that can arise and to communicate with all the vendors before, after and during your wedding. Having a planner that has been with you for the last month will make it easier for you, knowing you have someone who is fully capable of handling any and all problems that come up and also for the planner and vendors you have chosen, so they know who they will be directing their questions to that evening.

Below are testimonials from brides who have used our Month of Package and our overall services. 


Kristine and Steve at Auberge du Soleil…Napa Valley, California "Words cannot express our gratitude for the wonderful job you did with Kristine and Steve’s wedding. It was amazing, beautiful and delicious. Every detail was perfect and couldn’t have been better. Thank you so much!"
Love, Bill and Brenda

Tricia and Jonathan at Maycamas… Ranch, Calistoga
“Words can’t express how thankful we are to you. You have made such a crazy experience enjoyable & easy! I don’t know what Jonathan and I would do without you. We will miss our get-togethers. Thanks for making my special day perfect.”

Carol & Shawn at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel…Los Angeles
“You are truly a saint and the world's best wedding planner. You have made my life so beautiful and I know our wedding will be an event to remember! Thank you for everything–I am so blessed to have you in my life."   

Some more fabulous pictures of our couples and their guests!

Thanks again for reading and we hope this has helped any future brides! After reading this we hope you can sit back, relax and enjoy every moment of your wedding.









- The I DO! Wedding & Event Design Team

www.idoevent.com

www.julienunneventdesign.com

**follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook**

Westin St. Francis- Betsy and Lawrence, April 2011

When Betsy and Lawrence came to I DO! Wedding & Event Design to help them put together a party for the friends who had missed out on their Dallas wedding ceremony, we gladly jumped at the opportunity – giving us the ability to plan an amazing party at the fabulous Westin St. Francis in downtown San Francisco!

Taking place on the twelfth floor in the St. Francis Suite, a room with twenty-foot wooden paneled walls, magnificent views of the city and a library-esc feel, IDO! was able to transform an old-fashioned indoor study to a unique and modern space with the help of some amazing vendors! Working with the wonderful Leslie Wong, the Westin’s Catering Sales Manager as well as Kelly Burns-Gaoiran from Hartmann Studios, we were able to bring in plush, comfortable library furniture, a spacious wooden dance floor as well as several seven-foot tall Olive trees, resulting in a urban city meets central park ambiance. Decadent aubergine linens provided by Napa Valley Linens complemented the elegant simplicity of the plush white floral arrangements designed by Paul Robertson Floral Design. Hartmann Studios brought in both amber and lavender up lighting which warmed the cool wooden tones of the suite and brought out the floral ceiling wash covering each ceiling. Viceroy gold lamps lit up every buffet table, giving the suite a warm and familiar library feel all while being surrounded by the amazing city skyline.

Guests sipped on two unique signature cocktails, The Regal Beagle and Hound’s Tooth, designed by restaurateur Chris VavRosky, the owner of Park Avenue Grill in Oakland, based on the Bride and Groom’s darling beagle, Barry.

As the night continued, the partygoers danced the night away to classics performed by the marvelous five-piece ensemble provided by the Keith Johnson All Stars, who played everything from Jason Mraz  to Aretha Franklin. With all that dancing, everyone was sure to enjoy a vast array of food cart inspired dishes such as risotto fritters and sweet potato fries, miniature roasted chicken Vietnamese sandwiches, braised short ribs and macaroni and cheese and Beef sliders with caramelized onions. 

The Cold Soba Noodles were served in martini glasses accompanied by your own chop sticks!

Friend of the bride and chef/owner of The Cup and Cake in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kristin Rozsa flew in just for the event with an amazing cake, adorned with around 1000 handcrafted edible flowers cascading down the three tiers! It was almost to breathtaking to eat!

With the help of Laura Greir of Beautiful Day Photography, and her impeccable taste and ability to capture amazing moments of love, fun and happiness, we have access to an assortment of incredible photos to remember the evening by!


We were treated like royalty by Leslie and her team and cannot wait to do another event at the historic Westin St. Francis with them all again!

To view more of the amazing photos, click this link! :-)

Hello Chicago!

I am beyond excited about I DO!'s recent opening in Chicago, Illinois! We are a wedding and event design company based out of San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles and Barcelona. We love love love destination weddings and have done several in the past few months.

I DO! Wedding & Event Design has been around for 12 years and thought it was time to expand to the Windy City! To express our excitement, we are planning a HUGE WEDDING GIVEAWAY and would love our readers to follow along in the planning process; voting on themes, colors, flowers and more!

Please take a look at our website, our listing on MyWedding.com and the pictures below!

Mywedding.com Link

I DO! Wedding & Event Design Link

Stay tuned for more updates related to our upcoming Wedding Giveaway and how to apply!

-The I DO! Wedding & Event Design Team