Allison & Riley

Allison and Riley are getting married tomorrow!!

I snuck over to the shop today to snap a few photos of the personal flowers to share with you! 

Enjoy! 

(Just as a disclaimer, there are tons of photos because I'm so in love with these colors/bouquets that I couldn't decide.)

Outstanding Lecturer Award for Cal Poly College of Agriculture!

Big News!!!

Tonight- Melinda won Outstanding Lecturer of the Year Award for the College of Agriculture! This is a huge honor! In her 10+ years at Cal Poly, she's been nominated 4 times, and finally won!! There are dozens of excellent lecturers in the College of Ag.- so there is some stiff competition! 

Hear what some of her former students had to say about her:

(sorry about the poor quality)

Listening to the kind words being read...

Getting her picture taken with the Cal Poly President! Clearly I didn't have the best view....she's behind the umbrella. 

Super excited!!

Fancy plaque!

With her fans....

Getting organized for a group photo with the College of Ag. Dean & Cal Poly President! Big time!!

Melinda and Dr.Headrick were the only two people from their department to win awards- Congrats!

My second favorite moment of the evening was the Skype session with Dr. Flores as he accepted his Outstanding Faculty Award. He couldn't see us, but boy could we see him! It was pretty funny! 

Festive's Favorites: Joe LaBarbera Sound

Hola! So we've got another one of Festive's Favorites for you! We love to put some of our most favorite Central Coast wedding vendors under the spotlight- 1. Because they're awesome and deserve it! 2. Because we hope that it may cause you to consider using them for your next special event! 

Meet Joe of LaBarbera Sound! Joe is one of the best for SURE. I think one of my favorite things about Joe is  his calm presence. He's not laid-back in a "Oh whatever goes" kind of way, but in a "I'm confident that I know what I'm doing, so you can relax" kind of way. In the past, I've run up to him at a wedding with a mini crisis on my hands, and in seconds he's found a solution, rolled with the punches, and somehow managed to ease my stress. Who wouldn't want to have that kind of a guy at your wedding (for your sake, and your vendors')! Oh, plus all the other good stuff....he knows how to read a crowd, he's professional, experienced, and friendly! Voila! The whole package! 

FD: How long have you been in business?  

JL: More then 20 years. After watching my expansion and growth in the craft of MC / DJ I must say that experience  matters. There a little things I know and use today, that I had no idea about even after 10 years into my role as a DJ.

FD: What would say is your personal DJ style?  

JL: In a few words- Clean, Tasteful, Fun, Sophisticated, Appropriate, Intuitive, and on the mark. That said, I think we can not separate who we are as people, from what we bring to the craft of being a remarkable MC/ DJ for a wedding. So here are a few bullets about me: I love, love, love my wife. We are both into yoga- she more than me. We love to travel. In addition to the wedding business, I have worked internationally for 26 years with world class winter sport athletes and the media for a European company. My roots are in Italy. I grew up in a well-known  Italian Restaurant family -  my father and his two brothers owned  a restaurant called LaBarberas in West LA for 45 years!  I love people. I love family. I love celebrations.  I have been into sports all my life and still surf, ski, bike, hike and swim... My wife and I are going back to Bali for our 5th anniversary. I try to live life to the fullest and set my own rules!

FD: What is your favorite moment during the wedding day? 

JL: There are a few... watching the groom's face as the bride comes down the aisle,  a parent's sweet and sentimental toast, and hearing a comment from a guest  that notices the sometimes subtle and positive impact I have made on the event. Music and timing can change the mood of a room, group and party, I love that!

FD: What advice do you give your brides & grooms in order to have the best reception possible?  

JL: Do not stress- it can be contagious and spread around your event. Let go. After hiring real wedding professionals  just let go and enjoy. Wedding professionals like myself are passionate about what we do, and we enjoy making your wedding the biggest success.  I have done hundreds of weddings and I treat my clients as if the were close family or one of my best friends and I have their best interest in mind. 

FD: What are your favorite venues to work at?   

JL: The Central Coast is filled with great venues. Really,  from the picturesque  winery to the coastal & city center hotels  and many rural country barns - we have so many unique and fabulous venues. I would say find one that you think will work for you. In the end, of course the venue, flowers, the lighting & food etc. enhance your wedding and are important but IT IS REALLY ABOUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY GETTING TOGETHER TO CELELEBRATE THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE. Your choices of venues and wedding professionals should reflect this,  as I have always said "Fun people have fun parties."  No matter what!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Joe- at a Winter Wonderland wedding we did- he let us just COVER his booth with Christmas cheer! Isn't it a riot?!

Photo by Colleen Rosenthal

Some great shots by Cameron Ingalls

On one of his many winter sport adventures....

Joe with Olympian Miss Vonn

Philadelphia International Flower Show

So as a member of AIFD (American Institute of Floral Design) Melinda has been a member of numerous boards and committees. Recently, she submitted a design for AIFD's display in the Philadelphia International Flower Show! We were a little weary about packing it up, shipping it across the country, and hoping it came out in one piece! Below are photos of our design, as well as some others from the AIFD display! The theme for this year's show was Paris in the Springtime- so each contributing display played off of that theme!
AIFD: Underground Paris
"Far below the bustling streets of Paris winds a maze of tunnels and abandoned quarries. This subterranean space is now home to urban culture and creativity, including art, music and writing. Take a journey through the historic catacombs, and be transported underground to a floral wonderland, with themes from the actual Parisian tunnels serving as inspiring backdrops, and the art installations recreated en fleur."

Ron Mulray AIFD with all 3 of the awards won by the AIFD display!!

Festive's Favorites: Edna Valley Vineyard

Hey all! 

So you've probably heard of Edna Valley Wine- and maybe you've even stopped by for a wine tasting- but have you considered Edna Valley Vineyard for a wedding or special event?! Tina Hoppe and her crew are a well-oiled machine that will make your day flawless! We do weddings there all the time and it's such a pleasure! Here's our interview with Special Event Manager Tina Hoppe! Enjoy!

FD: How long has EVV been hosting weddings?

TH: 15 years

FD: How long have you been managing special events at EVV? 

TH: 15 years

FD: What do you think sets your venue apart from the others that are similar in nature? 

TH: The quality of service, the venues inclusions, the view, and of course our fantastic wines.

FD: What type of bride and groom do you think are best suited to have their wedding at EVV?

TH: Those that love to wow their guests, those that love nature, those that love the outdoors, those that enjoy great fine and food.

FD: What advice do you give engaged couples who are getting married there, in order to ensure they have the best day possible?

TH: Relax, enjoy, and trust us.

FD: What is your favorite moment during the wedding day?
TH:I have two special moments, 1. When the groom first sees his bride and 2. The father daughter dance always makes me cry.

 Here are some photos from recent weddings we've done at Edna Valley Vineyard:

Cal Poly Years of Service Luncheon

So as many of you know, besides owning and operating Festive Designs, Melinda also teaches two courses in Floral Design at Cal Poly! She loves to share her passion for floral design with her students- and if it all goes according to plan- spark THEIR passion for the industry as well! It's also a great place to find future employees and brides! We are both Cal Poly graduates and our business is very closely tied to the Cal Poly community....and we love it!

Today, Melinda was acknowledged for her 10 years of service at Cal Poly! (technically it's been 15 but she's part-time and they only count full-time quarters..blah blah blah)

So I thought I'd share some photos with you from the luncheon! Enjoy!

Can you find her?! haha

These cupcakes have school spirit!

Melinda and her co-workers from the HCS Dept. who were also honored for their years of service:

Prof. Costello (10 yrs.), Prof. Lassanske (35 yrs.), Melinda, and Prof. Brown (20 yrs.)

Our fantastic MC- Phil Bailey who kept the party rollin'! 

This photo does NOT do justice for how many people were there....

I know this is totally a paparazzi status photo of Melinda, waiting in line to go on stage!

Shaking the President's hand on stage!!

This puppy is going in a frame!

Fancy pin!

So proud! Congrats!