Turnip Rose Plaza Wedding with Heather and Andrew

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Weddings on Sunday are often slow.  Not this one!  Had a total blast with Heather and Andrew and their crew for a super fun, yet classy, Sunday night wedding at the beautiful Turnip Rose Grand Newport Plaza.  I got to work with Turnip Rose’s newest superstar coordinator, Desiree, for a great ceremony and reception!  I gave the wedding party a “lecture” before the grand entrance explaining to them that Heather wanted to have the “best wedding ever” and if that was going to happen, we were going to need the wedding party to bring their “A” Game from start to finish.  I told them that they are the “example setters” to the entire crowd and that they better have a drink in their hand and at least one foot on the dance floor at all times.
Well, this wedding “Rocked!” from start to finish.  Their Officiant, Matt Doan, really put his heart into delivering a great ceremony.  I especially liked how he took the mic off the stand and held it in front of Heather and Andrew so their guests could hear them saying their wedding vows to each other.  (Please see photos below taken by Jeffrey Neal www.jnpstudios.com )  Most Officiants don’t want to do this and the guests just hear the Officiant saying the vows.  We all got kind of teary eyed when Matt explained that Heather’s Dad died when she was very young and the bible being used in the ceremony belonged to him.  Later that night, we all got teary eyed again when Heather had a Mother/Daughter dance instead of a Father/Daughter dance.
It all wrapped up with an incredible “Sparkler Exit” and nobody caught on fire.  We had a great coordinator (Desiree), a great photographer (Jeffrey Neal), great venue and food (Turnip Rose) And a decent DJ. Me!!!  What a great night.

Newport Dunes Ceremony Turnip Rose Celebrations Reception

March 12, 2011.  My first ceremony at Newport Dunes.  What a great location!  Quiet, private, a beautiful waterfront background, and a very helpful staff.  I didn’t know what to expect when I pulled up to the gate at Newport Dunes.  The parking lot attendant was surprisingly helpful and courteous.  The Gazebo at Newport Dunes is a private, grassy area, with an unobstructed water backdrop.  Parking is a few feet away, and older guests had a short walk with no stairs to the ceremony.  This kind of ceremony venue is a rare find and a total gem.  The wedding coordinator from Newport Dunes does a great job, with a smile and a calming demeanor.  The entire experience was PERFECT from start to finish.  The bride and groom, Rich and Laura were married by Don Johnson (best Officiant on the entire planet!).  I had a small sound system set up and we played some Vitamin String Quartet prior to the ceremony and then some traditional and non-traditional songs during the ceremony.  Their exit song was “All you need is love” by the Beatles, which was well received by all.
After the ceremony, we all sprinted over to Celebrations by Turnip Rose in Costa Mesa for an amazingly perfect, fun, beautiful reception expertly coordinated by Chrissy and Desiree from the amazing Turnip Rose.  I got to plug into the “house system” which is a full-blown concert system that has incredible sound and lighting.  I had a blast shredding the beats (old and new).  Rich and Laura and their friends and family are so sweet, so fun, and just a wonderful bunch of people.  What a great night!