Wedding Concierge & Dragonridge Country Club Welcome Sasha Souza June 3, 2010

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge is thrilled to be the highlighted planner for this very special event and delighted to be welcoming, along with my friends at the beautiful Dragonridge Golf and Country Club, award winning Wedding Designer and Planner, Sasha Souza.

CALLING ALL BRIDES, WEDDING AND EVENT PLANNERS!!! Don't miss the Champagne Reception and Book Signing by Sasha Souza of her latest book, Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design.

***THIS EVENT IS COMPLIMENTARY AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC***

Sasha Souza Events is considered among the top event design and coordination companies in the nation. She recently took on role of Founding President of Wish Upon a Wedding, the only wedding wish granting non-profit couples facing terminal illness. Sasha is also the event planner on the Style Network TV show "Whose Wedding is it Anyways?"

At this exclusive event she will be available to sign her new book; also available for purchase. For more information, visit www.sashasouzaevents.com or call DragonRidge Concierge to confirm guard gate entrance @ 702-614-4444 between 9am-5pm.

Books may be pre-purchased @ a special 20% savings for only $40.00 prior to May 15th 2010. Books purchased after May 15th will be the regular retail price of $50.00 plus tax. *No Purchase Necessary*

Thursday, June 3, 2010

5:30pm - 7:30pm

DragonRidge Country Club

552 S. Stephanie Street

Henderson, NV

View Map

Facebook | Complimentary Champagne Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres with Sasha Souza

Happy Cinco de Mayo! "Viva La Vida", "Viva Las Vegas"!

View of Lounge & Restaurant, Dos Caminos Mexican Kitchen, Palazzo, Las Vegas

View of interior of La Madonna Restaurant

HAPPY CINCO de MAYO!!!

Nevada is home to a very large Mexican and Spanish population and if there is one place that knows how to celebrate it's Las Vegas! Put those two things together and you have the makings of one MAJOR HOLIDAY FIESTA my friends!!

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge would like to wish all my friends who are celebrating their Mexican heritage today (and those who just love the holiday), a very Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Being a Jewish kid from the north east (Toronto), Mexican, Tex Mex and the like, were never really done all that well as I was growing up. For the record, it's MUCH better and easier to find great Mexican food in Toronto now. Anyway, when I moved to Las Vegas and married a Texan, I "discovered" good Mexican food. And although I still can't get my lips around the whole refried beans and guacamole thing...I am warming to some great Mexican cuisine available in Las Vegas beyond the standard taco shops.

Two favorite Mexican Restaurants that Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge loves and who are celebrating Cinco di Mayo in Style today are Dos Caminos Mexican Kitchen at Venetian/Palazzo, Las Vegas on the fabulous Las Vegas Strip and La Madonna Restaurant, located in the southwest of the valley & serving Mexican avante-garde Cuisine. 

The ambience, the food, interesting menu and service at both of these restaurants are absolutely the best and I always have a fabulous time and a great, memorable meal whenever I go to either one. Both places have their own unique vibe and make for a great night out whether you are celebrating a special occasion, a holiday or just to enjoy some great high quality Mexican cuisine and cocktails.

Check them out if you have the chance. Love the Queso Fundido and the White & Chocolate Fondue at Dos Caminos The Tortilla Soup, Queso Flamiado, Steak Alambre and that amazing Street Style Corn at La Madonna have attained "comfort food" status. Don't forget the drinks. Both venues have amazing bars with huge tequila lists for a wide variety of concoctions that will have you saying "Ole" faster than you know.  

Enjoy and if you are visiting Las Vegas and looking for somewhere to celebrate Cinco Di Mayo, here a few other resources for you to check out what's happening in town today. 

Las Vegas Sun Cinco Di Mayo Guide (article)

Las Vegas Weekly.com

Las Vegas City Search Cinco Di Mayo Guide

How Las Vegas does Easter Hats -Delicious & "LOVE"ly Indeed!

Tony & Tina's Wedding Cast do Easter Vegas Style... 

with a soap bubble spewing wedding cake bonnet.

 1st Place Winners-"Art of Love" hat by members of Cirque du Soliel

Photos by Duane Prokop - RJ Story by Sonya Padgett

Images Property of Las Vegas Review Journal Newspaper

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge LOVES Las Vegas because when we do ANYTHING, we do it BIG and we do with STYLE!!

The performers of some of the city's most loved shows, from "Phantom" to "Jersey Boys" & "Tony & Tina's Wedding" certainly were all decked out to celebrate in their Easter finest for a very worthy cause.

These are just two of the incredible parade of Easter bonnet creations and of course I just had to share the two most wedding related ones with my readers. 

The second annual "Las Vegas Easter Bonnet Competition", a benefit for St. Therese Center, was held April 5 at Chippendales Theatre at The Rio Hotel & Casino.

St. Therese Center, provides outreach and services to more than 3,500 locals with HIV and AIDS.

According to the Review Journal article, the 2009 year's fundraiser has brought in more than $12,000 in donations.

Read the entire article & See the Slideshow of all the fabulous hats!

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge is very proud to be part of this wonderful city that not only has great style, but also has a very BIG HEART!!

M Resort: A New Place to Stay & Play & Get Married!

Exterior of Resort

Villaggio Del Sole Pool

All images from Vegas.com

Las Vegas is celebrating the opening tonight of our newest resort, "M Resort", located on the very south end of the Las Vegas strip. The wrapping comes off tonight at 10:00 PM, with fireworks too, for the grand reveal. 

It's sophisticated and sleek with glass and wood and has that unique Las Vegas/desert inspired retro-modern decor and vibe but the interiors look warm and welcoming to all visitors. 

I'm loving the high-tech rooms (with LCD TV's and iPod docking stations) and especially that oh so cool Villaggio Del Sole Pool and Entertainment Piazza.  (which I can see as an amazing event location for poolside wedding receptions. Wonder if that's an option? 

From the looks of their meeting and ballrooms, they have some great space for both local and Destination Las Vegas couples looking for a very contemporary styled event in a south-strip location that will satisfy all your needs; cool location, modern amenities, and a well priced destination EVERYONE can feel comfortable staying at.

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge can't wait to visit and enjoy everything this new resort has to offer as both a lucky Las Vegas local and as a Wedding and Event Planner. I look forward to the opportunity to plan some great celebrations there. I am look forward to having it join my "Favorite Las Vegas Places & Spaces" list. Do visit their website to see if this new resort is just your style to celebrate your wedding!

Welcome to the neighborhood "M Resort" and, as we say in Vegas...GOOD LUCK:)!

Wedding Professionals at WIPA Show of 2009 Wedding Trends

Photography by Henshall Photography, Los Angeles

On January 7th, I had the opportunity to visit Los Angeles for the inaugural 2009 meeting for WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) of which I am a "Founding Member".

Kicking the year off and the day, was a discussion of top wedding trends featuring America's "sassiest" lifestyle guru, Steve Kemble! 

The event was held at RRivreWorks which, for a wedding planner/designer or bride is BETTER THAN DISNEYLAND! RRivreworks is owned by the amazing RRivre Davies, an event designer who's work you have seen in major bridal magazines from The Bride & Bloom to Your Wedding Day Magazine and more. 

The decor and furniture rentals like his incredible chandeliers, in what is really a large warehouse, created a pallet for room after gorgeous room of wedding decor and table top vignettes courtesy of other top wedding design trend setting companies like Chameleon Chairs & Wildflower Linens. 

And the food was as much a prime time player with delectable offerings from one of the top Catering & Event companies in the country, Good Gracious Events was completely merchandised and styled as part of the entire decor it was situated in.  The candy bar, hosted by Epicurean Umbrella up on a fabulous white bar with white shelving hutch behind it, was chock full of the best new & classic sugar fixes everyone just gobbled up.

Which is a great tip Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge can pass on to you. Your food is such an important part of the reception being 45-50% of your entire budget. With so so much variety to choose from in the way of your food and beverage these days, styling your food displays; especially with stationary food displays and interactive stations and bars for cocktail hour or receptions, ensure to work with your caterer, floral designer, event designer and rental specialist so that your wedding style is represented in this area as well. 

Interesting presentation and service of food compared to those utilitarian buffet warmers will make a definite impact for your guests and your photos and video!

Enjoy the photo gallery of all the fabulous food, decor, florals and lighting. 

As the first not for profit wedding association in the country, "WIPA members set the standard for our industry, working creatively and ethically to produce weddings with panache-*from WIPA Website.

Encore, Encore! Wynn Las Vegas Opens Luxurious New Resort Tonight!

To paraphrase their teaser website, "What do you do when you have already built one of the world's most luxurious, exciting and award winning resorts?" 

Well, you build an even more gorgeous and luxurious resort right beside it on the Las Vegas Strip and call it....

"ENCORE"

Congratulations to Wynn, Las Vegas on the opening of Encore Las Vegas! 

The entire website showcasing all of the resort's amenities will be revealed with the opening of the resort tonight at 8:00 PM. 

The resort features stunning decor that brings the outside in with large windows in the casino , even more luxurious suites (starting at 700 square feet), incredible new restaurants including "Sinatra", which is fine Italian dining and a labor of love between Steve Wynn and the Sinatra family. It features portraits, memorabilia and a personal soundtrack of music by "The Chairman of the Board". 

Other restaurants include a steakhouse called "Botero Steakhouse" which will certainly be a most voluptuous dining experience set amongst the incredible work of artist Fernando Botero and another establishment called "Switch" that changes it's environment every 20 minutes for a true dining "experience".

The real "show" at "Encore" is their "XS Nightclub" (a play on the word "excess", I'm sure). It most certainly will exceed in off-the-hook luxuriousness for this club that is inspired by the style and ambience of St. Tropez. Of course, Wynn will do it in their own way and the party will start in the afternoon and flow into the wee hours of the morning. The club opens on New Years Eve.

Impressionist Danny Gans, who Steve Wynn introduced to the Mirage and made a Vegas star, is back with a whole new exciting show that will premiere in February, 2009.

From a personal perspective, my own experiences, and that of my family, when staying at a "Wynn" resort in the past was that we always felt "taken care of" and were truly treated as welcomed guests. On a professional level, as a wedding consultant, that "taken care of" experience at Wynn, Las Vegas is embodied in the professionalism and care extended to me and my clients by the wonderful staff at the resort. It is one of my favorite places to work in Las Vegas.

I am so excited to visit "Encore" this weekend and see all the gorgeous new venues in the Wynn Collection that will be perfect for celebrating your wedding in Las Vegas. From welcome parties to brunches, bachelorette and bachelor parties, spa and bridal beauty and stunning new ceremony and reception locations, "Encore" is going to, yet again, raise the bar on what it means to have a wedding or Destination Wedding celebration with Las Vegas "style"!

Check out some great images and video of the resort on the "Vegas Deluxe" blog of Robin Leach (yes, the "Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams" man himself). 

Bravo, "Encore", welcome to the neighborhood and I would like to wish all of my friends at Wynn Weddings, Wynn Catering and Restaurant Events "congratulations".  I am so excited for you and wish you all great success. I look forward to many fabulous and memorable weddings and events with you.

Las Vegas Wedding Concierge Featured on The Smart Planner Blog!

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge is so excited because I am featured today on the Meet the Planners Series of one of my favorite blogs, The Smart Planner.com. 

The Smart Planner Blog, is written by my friend and wedding planner colleague Liene Stevens, in Scottsdale, AZ; owner of Blue Orchid Designs and the fabulous Blue Orchid Blog. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Liene in Scottsdale this past September and we had a great time talking about weddings, our businesses, etc. It was wonderful to meet the very smart, savvy, creative and passionate young lady behind these successful blogs.

The Smart Planner is one of my daily MUST READ blogs and a great resource guide for wedding & event planners to help us grow professionally, creatively and run a successful business.

If you are a wedding and event planner and you don't have The Smart Planner on your list of daily reads, as well as the Blue Orchid Blog (great ideas for planners & brides), I encourage you to do so as they are both habit forming!

Have a Stylish Weekend!

Meet Me at the Wag-a-Tail Walkathon on April 15!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend?

You know, Las Vegas is more than what you see on the Las Vegas strip. We have a wonderful community of citizens who support this fabulous city and all the great organizations that make it a pretty darn great place to live.

I will be participating again in one of my favorite annual events this Sunday April 15, 2007 at the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society's 11th Wag-A-Tail Walkathon.

The walkathon helps in raising money for the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society whose mission it is to" improving the plight of homeless, abandoned and abused animals in Clark County. We are one of the few organizations that rescue animals which we then foster until we can find loving new homes"-From LVVHS website.

This day is always so much fun. It's like a big doggie nightclub watching all these canines checking one another out, and fun to see everyone having a great time and getting some good exercise for this great cause for paws (cheeky dog reference #1 and counting).

You will find me there helping out my good friend Jodi Harris from Sight N' Sound Events. Jodi and her husband Pat Harris have been long time major supporters of the LVVHS and the walkathon including providing "dog gone" great entertainment (had to get that in there somehow) and MC'ing the post walkathon activities.

Last year I got to realize a dream of mine by "playing DJ" and managing the DJ booth and spinning some tunes and it was SO MUCH FUN! I get to do some of that again this year and I'm so excited. We have a new location down on the grass in the middle of all the action where the fur will be flying (I'm not done yet..get ready for it). We will be headquartered in the ..."PUP TENT" (ha ha) playing music and hosting great contests like "biggest dog", "smallest dog", "stupid pet tricks", etc.

The Wag-A-Tail Walkathon will be held at Hills Park in Summerlin. Registration begins at 7:30 am and the official walk starts at 9:00 am. There will be all kinds of refreshments for humans and dog alike, special raffles from generous sponsors like Pulte Homes and lots of great information and products for your 4 legged family members.

Hope to see you and your favorite furry friends tomorrow at the park. It's a great way to spend Sunday with the family and show your love for your pets' canine brothers and sisters in need.

For more information, please visit The 2007 Wag-A-Tail Walkathon page on the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society website.