Christina and Jason, Part 2 School themed wedding/Musical themed reception

We love Christina and Jason! They are so sweet and so fun!! They're both teachers and they both LOVE musicals, so we decided to have everything leading up to the reception to be school themed and then the reception would reflect all the other things they love.

All the paper goods were DIY originals by Christina and her sister, printed by the nice people at Bethel Card and Paper and Bentley Printing and Graphics.











The ceremony was at the New Life Community Church in Artesia, with lots of natural light and enough seating for their many guests.



The reception was held at the Brea Community Center. A perfect blank slate with hardwood floors and clean, neutral walls.





We totally one-stop-shopped at J and M Entertainment. DJ/MC, Lighting and Videography. The trek out to Valencia was totally worth it.

There were two catering companies involved. They had a simple reception at the church hall immediately following the ceremony for their parents' church friends catered by Nak Won Catering . Then they had the reception with dancing and all the festivities catered by Four Seasons Catering. Both buffet style, both delicious.

The beautiful flowers were done by my aunt Janet Chung of Robinson's Flowers. We're not really related, but I've really grown to love her as if we were.







The tasty cake and desserts were from Michelle's Cake House, as well as some yummy cheese rolls from Porto's. Porto's made an earlier appearance during the cocktail hour with some savory favorites of Christina and Jason.




There were two elements that set this wedding apart from the rest. First was their transportation. School teachers ride in school buses!









Then the introduction of the bridal party. The whole bridal party exited off the bus to "We're all in this together" from High School Musical and made a tunnel for Christina and Jason.



Instead of being introduced into the room, they entered the reception first so they could welcome the guests to "Be our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast. Jason said a few words of thanks then the MC announced each couple to songs from different musicals. They had props, a video background and some very entertaining choreography. Can't wait for the video!

My little surprise for them was the custom card boxes I made in the shape of a school bus.



Last, but not least, their photographer was none other than the very talented Youkeun Oh. I'm so glad I finally got a chance to work with him. Thanks so much for the images!

Everyone had a blast at this wedding, including us! It was a long day, but it was so worth it! We wish Christina and Jason all the best! We love you!





Hair and make up for Christina, her bridesmaids and both mothers was done by I*Thie Total Beauty in Buena Park.

A Pleasant Surprise Luncheon

We recently had our 2nd annual Pleasant Surprise Luncheon. This is a time when we can catch up with past clients and get to know our current clients better, while doing what we like to do best - eating yummy food. It's really nice to reconnect and see how everyone is doing. We've had a lot of additions to our PS family in the last year and we're expecting a few more little ones to join us for our next luncheon.

Chrisma and I came up with the 4 Seasons theme while having lunch at Belmont Shore a few months ago. We set the tone with our invitations which was totally DIY. The mailable boxes were from Paper Source and the paper and embellishments were from Michael's and Joann's.



We wanted our tables to reflect the invitation so we went to Fusion Linens and Veronica helped us put it all together. She effortlessly pulled just the right linens to make our tables from Create-a-Party beautiful. We used the kids' favors as centerpieces and also had books to keep them occupied. We kept the centerpieces on the adult tables simple so there would be ample space for the plates with all the delicious food.






Speaking of food, Colette's Catering came through with flying colors. It tasted even better than it looked, and it looked amazing! Everyone loved the food and many went back for seconds, it was SO good. We will definitely call them again.






Our assistant Jessica deciding what she's going to eat first


Mmmmm. Jessica enjoying her food along with some of our little friends





Our guests left with cake pops from Perfect Treats. I can't decide which one I liked better the red velvet or the chocolate and banana. They were both deeeelightful!






The perfect accessory to this cute little face


We have the best clients in the world! Thank you everyone for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come to our luncheon. A special thanks to our husbands, who support us, who hold down the fort while we work, who help us carry heavy things and who love us unconditionally.



And a big hug to our photographer, Eddie Zhao. When he becomes famous, we will proudly say that he shot the photos for our luncheon.

Retirement Tea

I love my Bible Study! I love how God reveals new truths every time I study. And I love all my sisters in Christ that I study with! They inspire me and encourage me. One of those very special ladies retired this year from her position as class administrator. We had to throw her a party, so we decided to make it a tea party.




The original plan was to have it in my backyard but it was misty and wet that morning and so we had to change the plan and bring it indoors.



Boy, am I glad we have the room. 33 ladies filled my family room with laughter and tears as we shared stories of what God has done through our class and in our lives.




It was a beautiful spread. Every time we have a luncheon, they always bring the yummiest treats. The flowers added the perfect touch, and they were provided by our dear Debbie of Anything But Ordinary Event Flowers and Holiday Decorating. Tables & chairs were from Create-a-Party .







What a perfect group effort to make it a perfectly lovely tea for our beloved friend.

What did you do for Mother's Day?

We went to Disneyland!!

Last Sunday was my 14th Mother's Day. It's so cliche but it has gone by too fast and it does seem like only yesterday they were born. I see my kids everyday and it's hard to believe that my son is taller than me by 5 inches and my daughter is well on her way. But when they're not with me and I think of them, they're still my little babies. I still remember when they used to pronounce their words wrong and when they used to want me to hold them, our fun outings that I used to pack the car with extra diapers, extra wipes, extra clothes, extra snacks, extra everything - those were really good times.

People used to say to me, "Enjoy them while they're young because once they hit the teens, they're going to be nothing but headaches." So far, my kids have proven them wrong. If I could hand pick my kids, these would be the kids I would pick. They are well mannered, well behaved, well rounded individuals. My son is the perfect blend of butt-kickin' athlete and bookworm nerd. My daughter is the dancing princess who is at the top of her class at school, can beat anyone in a staring contest and keep up with the boys in a game of Nerf dart wars. I did enjoy my kids when they were young and I'm still enjoying them.

Many people ask us how we got our kids to behave so well. First of all, we believe that God made them really special, especially for us. God also gave us instructions on how to raise them. The more we read the Bible, the more we find practical applications through timeless illustrations. This made it pretty simple for us, we didn't have to figure things out as we went along, we just followed the examples that were set before us. One thing we know to be true is God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, so we are as consistent as possible when it comes to rules in our home. The kids know exactly what to expect, good or bad, they know there are rewards or consequences. Another thing we know to be true is that whatever God says will happen-does happen, no empty threats. I've regretted saying "if you do that one more time, we're going home" a few times because I didn't want to go home, but I had to follow through. I've also threatened to throw toys away if they did "it" one more time, and I've thrown away a few good toys. But these things only had to happen a couple of times when they were really little, and after that, a warning did the trick because they knew mom wasn't playin'. One of the most important things is that God is our Father, he is our friend but not so much our buddy, and as our Father, he loves us and wants the best for us. As much as we like our kids and want them to like us, we love them more. We want them to be well equipped, independent, competent, respectful people who know the value of hard work and appreciate everything they have. Sometimes our decisions are not very popular with them, but they know that our love for them is greater than material things or one fun day.

Things aren't always perfect, we fall, we mess up, we get frustrated and even argue, but those experiences helped us be who we are today.

My kids always ask me what I want for Mother's Day (or Christmas or my birthday) and I always say "Kids that listen." Whether they know it or not, I already have the best gift ever!


Me and the kids at Disneyland 10 years ago


Me and the kids at Disneyland last week

Sweet Sixteen

The morning of April 9, 1994, I left my house in my friend Beth's car on our way to L.A. to get my hair and make up done for my wedding, as rained poured down on her little car. Before I left, I kept looking out, hoping God would see my sad little face in the window and send a little sunshine my way. Every chance I'd get, as I sat in the chair at the salon getting pampered, I'd look at the same puddle in the parking lot through the window, hoping it would start drying up.

Meanwhile, my fiance and his friends were trying to set up tables and chairs in the lawn of our little church, wiping away the water, doing their best to make it look the way I wanted it. This was long before I knew anything about coordinating weddings. We had no plan B, it was church lawn or ????

We continued to get ready, trusting that God would give us a beautiful day. Did He ever! He sent the rain just to wash away the smog and the dust. By the time we got to the church, the sky was a beautiful blue with just a few fluffy white clouds, the sun was out and the lawn was not even damp. 400+ people packed into our little church and watched as Young and I promised to love each other till death do us part.

That was 16 years ago. It was the beginning of a beautiful life together. God did see my sad little face in the window and while I thought about what we were going to do if it continued to rain, He was teaching me to trust in Him and to put my focus on the marriage, not the wedding day. God took care of that for me, I couldn't have asked for better weather. He is so good.

So as I look out the window this morning, the day, and my life, is even more beautiful than it was on our wedding day. Happy 16th Anniversary honey!


(Check me out rockin' the puffy sleeves!)

April Showers and Parties and Discounts

Baby showers, Bridal showers, graduation parties, birthday parties ~ we love them all!! If you'll be hosting one of these celebrations soon and would like to give your guests a little pleasant surprise, check out our online store. We're offering a 10% discount on all merchandise for the month of April.
Happy shopping!