It’s that time of year again…Decadent Affair, our annual exclusive bridal event.

Decadent Affair is near and dear to our hearts as is any bridal show or event that one plans.  I can say that it is special to me because it was a distant thought, a dream when I first started my journey with Wine & Roses 6 years ago.  I have seen it go from an exciting “what if” to a concept, to a name, to a date, to a 1st time event, to a repeat event planned with more love and passion every year for the last 5 years.

What makes this bridal show different from all the others?  Well…lots of things, starting with our Marketing material. Each year, we pick a real bride that got married at Wine & Roses to be the poster model for Decadent Affair.  We pick brides that embody a W&R bride- authentic, gracious, humble, and beautiful on the inside.  Our brides are everyday brides and the process of choosing the bride that will represent Decadent Affair is genuine and conducted with great care.  Proudly, two brides we have chosen were part of our W&R team at one time and were also married at W&R.

Erin Parker-LoBue, W&R Employee, W&R bride, 2007 Decadent Affair Bride

The second secret of success is: our partners. We are fortunate to work with the best vendors in the business.  We proudly hand select the vendors that participate in Decadent Affair.  This process is also authentic; the vendors chosen are vendors from our referral list. To choose vendors for our referral list, the vendors are put through a process of qualification, so to speak, based on the quality of their product/services, value, relevance in today’s wedding industry, and service given to all of their brides and grooms. When we put a vendor on our list, it is a commendation of the highest regard.  We are confident that all of our brides and grooms, no matter which vendor they select from our list, will receive an unparalleled experience. It is these vendors that make up Decadent Affair, and every year they bring a level of professionalism and grace to the show and raise the bar for the next year. In many cases, our families of vendors donate their services to make Decadent Affair what it is, and we are immensely proud and grateful to call them our partners and friends.

Lastly, Decadent Affair is not just an event; it is a genuine passion, an affection of the W&R Sales team.  Charina, Angela, Cassaundra, Emily, Julie, and Catherine put this event together as if it was their own wedding, or their daughter’s wedding. The care, the attention to detail, the consideration of the brides, the time, the deliberate selections, the careful choices…all of that and everything else they put into the planning of this event in addition to the energy and support of the entire W&R team makes this not just another bridal show, but the most Decadent of all Bridal Affairs.

I invite you to join us Sunday March 20^th from 5:00pm-7:30pm for Decadent Affair.

Decadent Affair 2011 (Erin Hopps-Stacher, W&R Employee, W&R Bride, 2011 Decadent Affair Bride)

Buy Fair-trade Products, and help combat child labor

Worldwide, approximately 211 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 years are forced to work. Three-quarters of these children work in agriculture. Employed on sugar cane, tea, tobacco, and coffee plantations, they often work in fields freshly sprayed with pesticides, sometimes working even while spraying is taking place. The fair-trade label guarantees that a product comes from an equitable situation in which there is fair payment for workers, forced labor is forbidden and of course, children are not used a cheap labor.

What can you do?

Buying fair-trade products is, among other things, a way of safeguarding basic human rights, in particular the rights of children.

Look for this symbol when purchasing products

To find out more about fair-trade, visit the Fair Trade Foundation

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

As soon as Christmas is over, countless Christmas trees are dumped on sidewalks, to be picked up with the household waste and burned in incinerators. This process, which is costly for the community, involves the waste of a raw material that could benefit the soil. Some towns collect the trees for composting. In Georgia, more than 135 communities and organizations sponsored a ‘Bring One for The Chipper’ Christmas tree composting event. Over the last 5 years, the program has recycled almost 4 million trees.

(Discarded Christmas trees in San Francisco are picked up curbside, sent through a chipper, and then used as fuel at a waste-to-energy facility.  Last year through the city’s curbside tree recycling program, around 500 tons of Christmas trees were saved from landfills and recycled.)

What can you do?

If your local authority does not collect Christmas trees, ask if it can arrange to do so.  Also, consider alternatives, like a potted Christmas Tree that can be planted in the garden. You can also get an artificial tree.

Planning a Winter Wedding?  Most people automatically associate winter with the holidays, but if your preference and style is not red and green, how do you plan your winter wedding theme without it shouting The Holidays?  We’ve got some great tips to get you started.

Colors- Consider less is more approach.  Silver and white add some serious glamour to your winter wedding day. For your ceremony,  a white velvet aisle runner trimmed with white satin ribbon, or a curtain backdrop adorned with crystals and white phalaenopsis orchids at the alter sets a warm wintry mood.

Flowers- You don’t have to go Green and Red, although they are decidedly winter colors.  Choose full flowers like white hydrangeas or ranunculuses. White boutonnieres with greenery are handsome.  You can even add some white ribbon for a classic look.  Add sparkle to your bouquet by wrapping the stems in ribbon embellished with crystals.

Centerpieces-  Go beyond glowing candles to add warmth and romance.  Bring the outdoors inside with iced carved vases on your tables.   Add tall winter white branches and hanging crystals to reflect the light from the tables.  Surround the centerpieces with votive candles.  Use frosted glass china to top off the wintry look.

Cocktail Hour- A winter cocktail hour can be fabulous in its own right!  But, make it really spectacular by serving warm, comforting drinks.  Go beyond cider, and serve white hot chocolate in small espresso cups, and eggnog in small punch glasses. Greet guests with these cozy drinks as they arrive.  At the bar, serve Saketinis. (Japanese rice wine with sweet flavored vodka) in glasses rimmed with sugar crystals.

Music- For a twist on tunes,  hire a Capella quartet to sing background music.  Ask them to sing your favorite pop/jazz songs to set a festive tone for the evening.

The Cake- Play up the season with a white vintage style cake dusted with edible silver powder.  Accent the cake with white sugar ribbon and crystal drops cascading down one side of the cake.  Icy blue fondant with silver also adds sparkle.  Add a touch of the outdoors with natural figs and branches to convery the simplicity of the season.

The honeymoon- You can even embrace the season and flee from the traditional warm weather vacations. Rent a cozy log cabin for a week in Lake Placid, or join the jet-setters at a luxurious hotel in Aspen for some serious skiing, wining and dining and of course, snuggling!

A Winter Wedding Inspiration Board

Make it a rule to buy only organic of a given product.

To protect crops from parasitic insects and plants, farmers use pesticides; to increase the yields of their crops, the spread fertilizers. World consumption of these chemicals is growing nonstop: it leaped from 30 million tons a year in 1960 to 140 million tons in 2000.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that pesticides contaminate groundwater resources of 38 states; 67 million birds were among the victims of pesticides in the last year. 

An Organic Farm Owner

(Above- Free Range Chickens. Animals on organic farms eat organically grown feed, aren’t confined 100% of the time (as they are most often on conventional farms), and are raised without antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.)

What can you do?

Ogranic Farming spares the environment this degradation. The help encourage it, choose a product that you will always buy from an organic producer. Some good choices for this strategy are strawberries, apples, and spinach; these products retain the highest levels of pesticide residue. You can then broaden the range of products for which you buy organic at your own pace.

Did you know that Americans make up only 4% of the world’s population, yet we produce a 1/4 of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions?  This imposes on us a particularly heavy responsibility for the way the planet is changing.

At Wine & Roses, we are serious about our Green responsibility.  Our Green Mission is to raise awareness in working with our customers, suppliers, and team members to make sustainable choices, implement eco-friendly practices, and reduce our impact on the environment. We are committed to simultaneously look after the people and the planet by striving to use environmentally friendly products and practices.

So, in addition to our own company green initiatives, we will use our blog to help pass on tips to help you live Greener- to reduce your carbon footprint and preserve our planet for our generation and future generations.  That’s right; coming monthly, we will do our part to provide sustainable suggestions for you to implement in your daily life with your families.

So, stay with us!

The Spa is super excited to feature Lavromá products- handmade soaps and bath products.  If you haven’t heard of  Lavromá yet, let me introduce you.

The Lavromá Story- (excerpt fromLavroma)

Inspired by Nature

For owner Nikki Stein, it started with a love of all things lavender and a trip to Provence, France. While touring the renowned lavender farms she isolated the source of what she believed to be the finest lavender essential oil in the world. Returning to her families’ home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Nikki began to create her first handmade soaps out of her kitchen. That day, Lavromá “The Aroma of Lavender” was born.

Handmade Soaps Are Simply Better

Handmade soaps differ from industrial soaps in that they contain an abundance of skin-friendly oils (what soapers call “superfatting”).  And unlike most industrial soaps, handmade soap retains its glycerin, a natural by-product of soap making, which is moisturizing and gentle to the skin. Lastly, handmade soaps do not contain the harsh preservatives and chelating agents used in industrial made soaps to keep them on the store shelves for millennia.

Pamper the Body. Comfort the Mind.

Believing that natural scents and fats are the healthiest for our bodies Nikki shunned the use synthetic fragrances while refining her soap recipes. Because our sense of smell is governed by the brain’s limbic system, which also managed memories and emotions, it was only natural for Nikki to turn to aromatherapy, essential oils, and the finest botanicals available to create her soothing soaps.

All natural ingredients

Lavroma's flagship store in Capitola- right off the beach

Body Truffees are at The Spa!

Lavromá Body Truffees™ are a new and innovative solid salt & oatmeal scrub which gently exfoliates the skin while also leaving it wonderfully moisturized. They are beautifully packaged in colored candy foils and come in 11 different aromatherapy scents. Each Body Truffee™ looks like a big white chocolate candy truffle, but instead of eating it, use it for a luxurious exfoliating skin care treatment. Use the Body Truffee™ in the bath tub or shower, after soap, and on a wet body.  Each BodyTruffee™ is sold individually or in a candy box of 8.  They make wonderful gifts! (Get your Stocking Stuffers done early this year!) 

Scents include Exotic (Vanilla & Ylang Ylang), Lavender, Rejuvenate (an aromatherapy blend with imported Egyptian Rose Geranium), Illuminate (with Ginger & Sweet Orange), Desire (with Jasmine, Rose & Sandalwood), Mind Mint (a stimulating scrub with Peppermint & Rosemary), Lavender & Rosemary, Patchouli, Lavender & Ylang, and Lemon Poppy Seed!

Be sure to purchase some of these exquisite treats tomorrow during the Spa’s Annual Holiday Open House from 1-4pm.

Hard to believe it is November!  We have been busy at Wine & Roses!

Going back to the end of September with Taste of Lodi…another great turnout and showcase of Lodi’s wineries and restaurants.  To cap the day, Wine & Roses won best Restaurant!

Taste of Lodi goers enjoy a nice day of wine and food

Lodi's finest wineries and restaurants sent guests home happy!

A Survivor Model

Shortly after the Pink October event, we had the wonderful opportunity to partner with the Lodi Arts Foundation for the 1st annual Artisan Masters Lodi Wine & Art Auction held on October 23rd at Hutchins Street Square. The event offered wine tasting, a five-course dinner and an auction of wine and art works.  Wine & Roses proudly housed the guest rooms for media and press attending the event.

Guests look over collections of wines up for auction

Abundance Vineyards serves a Zinfandel barrel sample to guests

A Lodi Sculptor talks about a scale replica of his “Celebrate the Harvest”

Winemakers David Lucas & Dave D'Art provide a brief history of the local wine industry

On October 29th, we hosted our 2nd annual Masquerade event.  This year was a Murder Mystery Dinner.  All the guests were in the masquerade mode with great masks!  The evening consisted of a 4 course dinner and a murder mystery show where guests were part of the plot.  It was definitely an evening of intrigue and mystery!

On October 30th, we were chosen to cater the Knights of the Vine Annual Grand Assemblage Dinner hosted by Harney Lane Winery.  The evening was exciting as new knights and ladys were knighted in.  An Hors d’ oeuvres reception was held in the Tasting room, and the dinner and knighting ceremony took place in the wine building. The evening held great energy and the ambiance was friendly and perfect for friends on wine!  We were honored to be included.

We have loved beign out in the community and we have much more to come as we enter the holiday season, so stay with us!

Vintage weddings are in.  So what exactly is a vintage wedding and how do you plan your own?  Vintage can mean whatever you want it to mean- a throwback to a certain era, a simple affair, an elegant celebration, a homespun feel or antique look, historical.   When we think of vintage at Wine & Roses, we think of simplistic elegance, classic, rich tradition, intimate, rustic… We have come up with some ideas for you so that you can create your very own vintage wedding.

First, as with anything you are planning for your wedding, make it reflect you. This is your day, so your wedding is an extension of you- separately as well as together, along with your family and history.  Incorporate your own meaning and tradition.  You don’t have to have a full vintage theme to create a wedding day that is classic and timeless in tone and texture.  Look to the classic traditions of history or your family heritage to enhance the elegance of your wedding.  If not actually wearing your mother’s wedding dress, what about incorporating some of the fabric into your gown?  Use your parents’ cake topper or cake cutting set in your wedding.  Soundtrack your wedding day with music that has become timeless, and you’ll find every generation on your dance floor.  Hold your reception in a vintage location, look at color and fashion trends.  Write your own vows and have acoustic guitarist play your favorite song or your parents wedding song during your ceremony. The most memorable is when it is the most personal…

But if you are looking for some classic glamour vintage ideas, we’ve got some.

Wedding Gown-  one way to channel your inner screen siren is by selecting a gown in satin with a bias cut, sheath or mermaid fit. Satin looks best in silvery white, champagne or ivory.  

Bridesmaids dresses- can be of cocktail length and black for glamour vintage.  Black is a very elegant color and looks good on everyone.  Bring out the gloves- long satin black gloves for your bridesmaids or you can even do short ones. (Very Audrey Hepburn-esque in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.)  Allow no bridesmaid to have the same hairstyle as you. Make them all wear their hair pulled back in a bun or chignon.  For homemade or simple vintage, pale yellow with simple flowers, whimsical, mismatched…anything goes really.

Hair- For a vintage look, hair should be shiny, in loose waves and worn down. If you decide to wear half up half down, accessorize with a brooch to pull back , or fresh cut gardenias, or a vintage birdcage veil.  Your Makeup should include lots of lashed, liquid eyeliner and red lips!  If you want Glamour vintage, Red lips are a must!  Cheeks should be rosy and not bronzed.  Nail color can be neutral, or of course, red.

Floral- Flowers for your big day can range in colors from white, pale pink, ivory, champagne to deep reds and burgundy.

Favors- Keep it classy and vintage. Cigars for the men, and compact mirrors for the ladies.

Most importantly, find what makes the two of you most unique and mirror that into your vintage choices.

If you are like me and love a good t-shirt, then this post is for you!   The Nest is now offering these great feel good tees from Tees for Change.

With conscientious messages like ‘live mindfully’ – ‘live simply’ – ‘choose happiness’ - ’laugh often,’ and many more, these tees are a meaningful choice.  And… not only are they rich in message, they are good for the environment.  All of these tees are fair trade and made under sweatshop free conditions from 100% organic cotton or a blend of 70% bamboo/30% organic cotton.   The tees are dyed with low impact dyes, and… they give back!  For every tee you purchase, Tees for Change will plant a tree through their partnership with Trees for the Future. 

Find the right message for you and give back

Dreamy graphic tees make an eco-friendly impact

Tees for Change believes that “practicing mindfulness and loving kindness throughout daily life can enhance our whole being – body, mind and spirit.”   We hear that!   And we are proud to feature these responsibly fashionable tees that look good, do good and feel good, all at the same time!  (Did I mention what great gifts these tees make?)