Happy New Year!

A very Happy New Year to you! Thank you all for being part of an incredible year that was 2010. We are so thrilled to welcome a wonderful 2011 and wish you all the very best this coming year. Here's to a fun, festive, and cheery New Year's celebration.

Whether you're fêting with your best friends, enjoying watching a ball drop in your favorite city, or seeing 2011 unfold across the world on television, we hope you are warm, safe, and enjoying ringing in 2011.

Image via The Slightly Obsessive Bride

Cheers!

Our Favorite Real Weddings from 2010

How amazing is it that we're officially rounding out 2010? What a great year it's been! A big thank you to the wonderful photographers who have shared their work with us this year and to all of our couples, readers, peers, and friends for being such great supporters of us and the blog! Without further ado, here are our favorite bride and groom images from the past year.

Christine + Ben | Jeremy Leffel

Hope + Joel | Sarah Rhoads

Cristina + Nick | Branco Prata

Emily + Ryen | Amore Studios

Arica + Jamal | Misha Nikole

Happy New Year!

Inspiration: Cozy New Year's Day Brunch

Wow, time flies! We are excited for all that's happened in 2010 and are eagerly awaiting the clock to strike midnight to ring an incredible new year. As you prepare for your New Year's celebrations, think about keeping things simple going into 2011. Surrounding yourself with loved ones; a cozy + festive table top, and good food is really all you need! We hope you find some inspiration from our table top design {also seen in our Ezine, photographed by Jeremy Leffel. Enjoy!

 For our New Year's Day brunch table we wanted the feeling to be that of pure relaxation and enjoyment. A fresh, white quilted table cloth sets the stage for a pure + cozy table.

 Stark winter branches sit in brushed silver vessels reminiscent of icy cold.

 A handful of frilly, textured white blooms signal spring is not too far off.

 Our guests noshed on caviar and blinis off of heirloom china and sipped tea from vintage English tea cups.

 Our refreshing place settings were nearly stark, but so ornate given the detailing of the table cloth, the simplicity of the modern, elongated silverware, and the forest of white branches added a touch of winter magic.

 Our staple drink was a light, Snowy Cosmo {see the recipe at below} topped with light milk chocolate shavings.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Snowy Cosmo - courtesy of our friends at Ravishing Radish Catering

Ingredients:
1 ounce Ketel One
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce white cranberry juice
1/2 slice lime -- for garnish
Superfine sugar


Directions:
In a shaker with cracked ice, combine Ketel One, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and white cranberry juice. Shake well.

Take a lime wedge to moisten the rim of the martini glass.

Dip the glass rim in superfine sugar.


Strain drink into a martini glass, garnish with the lime, and serve at once.


Another garnish idea is to skewer fresh cranberries on a bar pick to be used as a festive swizzle stick.

Design + styling and JOY cards: Aleah + Nick Valley of Valley & Co.
Photography: Jeremy Leffel

Floral design: Anne Bradfield of Floressence

Crystal and marble decorative candle accents: vintage pieces from Nick's mom

Venue, dessert, and drinks: Palace Ballroom by Tom Douglas in Seattle

Linens: Choice Linens

Chairs, silverware, and china: AA Party Rentals

Nick & Aleah: Top 50 to Watch in 2011

We are beyond grateful + so thrilled to make this announcement. We absolutely love what we do and are so proud to be recognized for our work, both past, present, and to come. 2011 is going to be amazing and are ready for the ride! *Read the full press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valley & Company Named Among Top 50 Elite in San Diego


San Diego Magazine honors politicians to musicians, philanthropists to physicians.


San Diego December 28, 2010 – San Diego Magazine has named Aleah and Nick Valley, the husband and wife team of Valley & Co., among the ‘50 People To Watch’ in their January issue. This honor recognizes their expertise in the event and wedding planning business and salutes their commitment to effecting change, in the wedding and event industry. Valley & Co. is the first wedding and event planning company to receive such an honor.

 This dynamic husband and wife team has proven their commitment to changing the way weddings are planned; by easing the stress that comes along with planning and helping couples realize their dream day. “We are beyond thrilled and honored to be named to San Diego Magazine's Elite Top 50 to Watch in 2011 list.” said Nick and Aleah Valley. “With so many exciting projects, partnerships, and new endeavors slated for 2011, we enter 2011 grateful, energized and enthused.


By creating a comfortable work environment and partnership with their clients, Valley & Co. are recognized among their peers for their work ethic, setting trends and passion for their business.


About Valley & Co:


Nick and Aleah Valley are the sole proprietors of Valley & Co. event planning and design team. Award winning and often sought after for trends, wedding ideas, and expert out-of-the-box advice, Valley & Co. is considered one of the premiere wedding companies on the West Coast – with couples who marry worldwide. From trend spotting to unparalleled advice for brides and grooms and everything in between, Valley & Co. is a powerhouse for all things weddings and events.


For more information please view http://www.valleyandco.com and direct all media inquiries to Lisa M. Barr at lisa@yoursinbridal.com


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Monday Coffee: Refresh & Renew

We hope you had a wonderful holiday with loved ones. As we leave the wonderful year that was 2010 we excitedly anticipate 2011.

Spend this week refreshing. Renewing. Enjoying.  Celebrating.

Image via Etsy

 Enjoy! Stay tuned this week for a big announcement + some New Year's Eve inspiration!

Image via Country Living

Cheers!

Sunday Simplicity: Dutch Babies

The perfect post-Christmas meal: Dutch Babies with chorizo and fried eggs. Delicious!  Dutch Babies are light, subtly sweet, and just scrumptious for the Sunday after Christmas. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas weekend. What was your favorite meal or dish of the holidays?

Image Eating Out Loud

Ingredients

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).


In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light. Add milk and stir. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt.


Remove skillet from oven and reduce oven heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour all the batter in the skillet and return skillet to oven.


Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve! Don't forget to leave milk + cookies out for Santa!

Image via Country Living

Chocolate Domino Cookies
This crowd-pleasing cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen. Simply shape dough into a log before freezing. Then thaw, slice and bake.

1 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon(s) salt

3/4 cup(s) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup(s) granulated sugar

1/2 cup(s) light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

1/2 cup(s) heavy cream

1/4 cup(s) large white chocolate chips

Sift the cocoa, flour, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.



Beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the cocoa mixture.


Add the vanilla extract and cream and beat until a dough forms. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.


Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut 16 2- by 4-inch rectangles, and place on baking sheets. Score each rectangle in the middle — the short way — and press in the chips to create dominos. Place the cookies on a prepared baking sheet. Chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 13 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

A Charming Holiday DIY from Hank & Hunt

Felt Garland DIY

Merry Christmas! I’m Jenny from Hank + Hunt, and I adore garlands of any kind. When Nick and Aleah asked me to do a pretty little tutorial for them I was so excited! I put together this super simple, but oh so cute felt garland based on traditional circle paper garlands. All you need to have is some felt, pinking shears, a hot glue gun, and some ribbon or twill tape. It goes by super fast and you have instant gratification. Thank you Nick + Aleah for having me!

Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!

xo, Jenny

Felt Garland DIY:
For this project you will need:
½ yard of felt (or about 6 - 8 ½ x 11 sheets of felt)*
*the half yard of felt will yield tons more garland and circle poms
2 yards of twill tape or ribbon (or desired length of garland)

1.       Using regular scissors cut 30 circles of felt, 5 for each circle pom.  I used my 2 ¾ inch punch to make a template out of cardstock; you could also trace a can or cup to make a circle template.

2.      Hot glue one half of one circle. Press second circle on top, being careful to line up the edges.

3.      Fold over half of the top circle, and carefully hot glue that half. **watch your fingers** Press another circle on top. Continue until all 5 circles are attached, and there are two halves open and not glued yet.  Repeat with remaining 5 sets.

4.      To attach to garland, fold open end of circle pom, and add thin line of hot glue down the center.  Lay and press twill tape flat down the line. Hot glue one of the felt halves and press the other side on top, closing the pom.

5.       To make an ornament, cut twill tape to a 6” length, fold open end of circle pom, and add thin line of hot glue down the center.  Make a loop with twill tape. Lay and press twill tape flat down the line. Hot glue one of the felt halves and press the other side on top, closing the pom.

6.       Using plain scissors or pinking shears (I did this), trim each petal of the circle pom even.

 Enjoy the many uses of this technique.  Change the size of the circles or how you use them.  The circle poms would be gorgeous on top of presents, as a place setting, or mini ones glued on top of a lollipop stick as cupcake toppers.

 Thank you, Jenny for this sweet, sweet project! Happy Holidays {be sure to check out Hank + Hunt}!

Valley & Co.: The Knot 2011 Best of Wedding Planners

We are quite pleased with this! Valley & Co. wins The Knot 2011 Best of Wedding Planners in Southern California! Thank you all who voted!