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Transcript of Aroos Magazine (Winter 2011)
4 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 5
Aroos Feature
Letter from the PublisherDear Friends: After five years publishing the only bridal magazine for the Persian American community, I feel that I have learned as much as if I spent five years in business school — things like marketing, communication, graphics, accounting and more. Over the last five years I have made lots of good friends with different ideas, who wanted to help and support me in this amazing job in magazine publishing. It’s been a long road to publish magazine issue 20, and I’m sure the road will be even harder in the future; to that end, I hope you don’t cease your support of me and Aroos.
Last November, one of my favorite artist couples married; I had the chance to do photography for them. To the new Mr. Andy and Mrs. Shani Madadian, I want to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. We’re publishing a special session of photography as a wedding story in this magazine.
Our fourth annual wedding show was fantastic, with over 4,000 visitors at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. We had lots of feedback from our clients, vendors and visitors. I couldn’t have made this show possible without friends like Shideh Shahraies, Jeannie Savage and Jozef Bina. We’re now already planning a bigger and better show for next year; please keep an eye on our future ads, Facebook posts and news items to learn more about the 5th annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show.
Once again, thank you to all of my friends, supporters and sponsors.
Love,
Navid SoheilianPublisher
Publisher: Navid Soheilian • [email protected] Editor and Graphic Designer: Candice YaconoPrinted by Metro Digital • Metro-Digital.com
AROOS MAGAZINE • P.O. Box 3453 Mission Viejo, CA 92690 • 310.753.9622 [email protected] • www.aroosmagazine.com • Circulation: 10,000
All rights reserved by AROOS. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. The articles and advertisements appearing in AROOS Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AROOS, the editors, or other columnists. All topics and subjects discussed, including any legal or medical articles, are not for the purpose of answering specific legal or other problems. Readers are
strongly advised to independently research all issues and/or seek professional advice. Acceptance of advertising by AROOS Magazine does not constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. The content of ads is not confirmed by AROOS, and each advertiser is responsible for the content of their ad; no representations are made by AROOS. AROOS reserves the right to refuse any advertising and
articles. AROOS Magazine is a promotional distribution, and its sale and unauthorized use are prohibited under any circumstances.
4 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 5
Aroos Feature
Letter from the PublisherDear Friends: After five years publishing the only bridal magazine for the Persian American community, I feel that I have learned as much as if I spent five years in business school — things like marketing, communication, graphics, accounting and more. Over the last five years I have made lots of good friends with different ideas, who wanted to help and support me in this amazing job in magazine publishing. It’s been a long road to publish magazine issue 20, and I’m sure the road will be even harder in the future; to that end, I hope you don’t cease your support of me and Aroos.
Last November, one of my favorite artist couples married; I had the chance to do photography for them. To the new Mr. Andy and Mrs. Shani Madadian, I want to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. We’re publishing a special session of photography as a wedding story in this magazine.
Our fourth annual wedding show was fantastic, with over 4,000 visitors at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. We had lots of feedback from our clients, vendors and visitors. I couldn’t have made this show possible without friends like Shideh Shahraies, Jeannie Savage and Jozef Bina. We’re now already planning a bigger and better show for next year; please keep an eye on our future ads, Facebook posts and news items to learn more about the 5th annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show.
Once again, thank you to all of my friends, supporters and sponsors.
Love,
Navid SoheilianPublisher
Publisher: Navid Soheilian • [email protected] Editor and Graphic Designer: Candice YaconoPrinted by Metro Digital • Metro-Digital.com
AROOS MAGAZINE • P.O. Box 3453 Mission Viejo, CA 92690 • 310.753.9622 [email protected] • www.aroosmagazine.com • Circulation: 10,000
All rights reserved by AROOS. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. The articles and advertisements appearing in AROOS Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AROOS, the editors, or other columnists. All topics and subjects discussed, including any legal or medical articles, are not for the purpose of answering specific legal or other problems. Readers are
strongly advised to independently research all issues and/or seek professional advice. Acceptance of advertising by AROOS Magazine does not constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. The content of ads is not confirmed by AROOS, and each advertiser is responsible for the content of their ad; no representations are made by AROOS. AROOS reserves the right to refuse any advertising and
articles. AROOS Magazine is a promotional distribution, and its sale and unauthorized use are prohibited under any circumstances.
6 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 7
Aroos Feature04 Publisher’s Letter11 News All the latest news about Aroos and weddings.
18 A Dazzling Display The 2012 Aroos Wedding Show was quite the spectacle.
28 Color Story Black and white: cool and classic.
36 Coastal LuxuryDoes it get any more spectacular than the Montage?
41 Designed for Destiny Events by Shideh brings the details all together.
48 A Touch of Europe in OC The St. Regis brings Mediterranean style home.
54 An Eye for Aesthetics Shirvan Design doesn’t emulate trends; it makes them.
60 Wedding Report Sanaz Tousi & Alireza Mirsepassi.
66 For a Modern Bride The SLS in Beverly Hills beckons contemporary couples.
72 Something for Everybody 90210 Entertainment Group offers it all.
76 Wedding Report Neda Yazdani & Paymon Khaksar.
87 A Blooming Business Gorgeous florals are at the heart of Bella Blooms.
90 Wedding Report Chelsea McKnight & Omid Navran.
95 Diamond of a Business Expands Soraya Jewels offers custom style to a select clientele.
100 Wedding Report Shani Rigsbee & Andy Madadian.
109 Sweet and ‘Vivaciously Royal’ Sweets for the sweet abound at the Queen’s Bakery.
114 Contracts for Couples Aroos’ resident legal expert explains wedding contracts.
118 Wedding Report Goli & Alan Parsa.
127 Easier Than You Think All the details on laser hair removal.
130 Wedding Report Geeta Dastyar & Sam Namiri.
134 Directory: Orange County and San Diego136 Directory: Los Angeles
CONTENTSLetter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
What a year it’s been, and it’s only Feb-ruary! In addition to finishing our largest issue ever published (you’re holding it in your hands), we also put on a wildly suc-cessful bridal show. Apologies to everyone who didn’t get the chance to pick up a back issue at the Aroos table; we were shocked at how quickly they disappeared. Stop by early next time to get one!
I loved seeing people gasp as they walked into the room; the designers and coordina-tors did an absolutely gorgeous job con-verting the ballroom into one large wed-ding reception. Turn a few pages ahead to view all the memories from that day.
Our publisher, Navid Soheilian, also had the honor of photographing the celebrity wedding of the year — Andy Madadian and Shani Rigsbee turned their nuptials into a multi-night celebration. Flip over to their wedding report to see all the details.
Putting this issue together has been a year-long process — we always wanted the 20th issue to be something special. To that end, we’re ecstatic to feature exclusive interviews with some of the area’s top re-sorts and wedding locations, like the Mon-tage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach and the SLS Beverly Hills.
As always, we also have included lots of the vendor information you yearn for (especially those to-die-for photos), from craveable cakes to fabulous florals. Read on for all the scoops on how to make your event one-of-a-kind.
Spring is coming soon,
Candice YaconoEditor
48
66
36
11
109
100
28
87
6 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 7
Aroos Feature04 Publisher’s Letter11 News All the latest news about Aroos and weddings.
18 A Dazzling Display The 2012 Aroos Wedding Show was quite the spectacle.
28 Color Story Black and white: cool and classic.
36 Coastal LuxuryDoes it get any more spectacular than the Montage?
41 Designed for Destiny Events by Shideh brings the details all together.
48 A Touch of Europe in OC The St. Regis brings Mediterranean style home.
54 An Eye for Aesthetics Shirvan Design doesn’t emulate trends; it makes them.
60 Wedding Report Sanaz Tousi & Alireza Mirsepassi.
66 For a Modern Bride The SLS in Beverly Hills beckons contemporary couples.
72 Something for Everybody 90210 Entertainment Group offers it all.
76 Wedding Report Neda Yazdani & Paymon Khaksar.
87 A Blooming Business Gorgeous florals are at the heart of Bella Blooms.
90 Wedding Report Chelsea McKnight & Omid Navran.
95 Diamond of a Business Expands Soraya Jewels offers custom style to a select clientele.
100 Wedding Report Shani Rigsbee & Andy Madadian.
109 Sweet and ‘Vivaciously Royal’ Sweets for the sweet abound at the Queen’s Bakery.
114 Contracts for Couples Aroos’ resident legal expert explains wedding contracts.
118 Wedding Report Goli & Alan Parsa.
127 Easier Than You Think All the details on laser hair removal.
130 Wedding Report Geeta Dastyar & Sam Namiri.
134 Directory: Orange County and San Diego136 Directory: Los Angeles
CONTENTSLetter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
What a year it’s been, and it’s only Feb-ruary! In addition to finishing our largest issue ever published (you’re holding it in your hands), we also put on a wildly suc-cessful bridal show. Apologies to everyone who didn’t get the chance to pick up a back issue at the Aroos table; we were shocked at how quickly they disappeared. Stop by early next time to get one!
I loved seeing people gasp as they walked into the room; the designers and coordina-tors did an absolutely gorgeous job con-verting the ballroom into one large wed-ding reception. Turn a few pages ahead to view all the memories from that day.
Our publisher, Navid Soheilian, also had the honor of photographing the celebrity wedding of the year — Andy Madadian and Shani Rigsbee turned their nuptials into a multi-night celebration. Flip over to their wedding report to see all the details.
Putting this issue together has been a year-long process — we always wanted the 20th issue to be something special. To that end, we’re ecstatic to feature exclusive interviews with some of the area’s top re-sorts and wedding locations, like the Mon-tage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach and the SLS Beverly Hills.
As always, we also have included lots of the vendor information you yearn for (especially those to-die-for photos), from craveable cakes to fabulous florals. Read on for all the scoops on how to make your event one-of-a-kind.
Spring is coming soon,
Candice YaconoEditor
48
66
36
11
109
100
28
87
10 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 11
Aroos FeatureAroos NewsThe traditional Persian New Year — marking the arrival of spring — has been
celebrated since ancient times. This year, join your neighbors in a program of festive Persian music, courtesy of the Pacific Symphony and the Farhang Foundation.
Attendees also will celebrate the world premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Peace Oratorio, commissioned by Pacific Symphony as part of this year’s American Composers Festival.
Enjoy “Celebrating Nowruz” nightly at 8 p.m. from March 22 to 24 at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa. Tickets are $25 to $185.
The event is conducted by Carl St.Clair and Farhad Mechkat, with famed soprano Hila Plitmann, the highly in-demand Shams Ensemble and the Pacific Chorale, with artistic director John Alexander.
The program includes: Kodaly: Dances of Galanta; Traditional Persian Music - performed by the Shams Ensemble and the Symphony; and Danielpour: Toward a Season of Peace.
Information: scfta.org.
Celebrate Norouz with Hila Plitmann & the Pacific Symphony
ing. With ten different colors to choose from, KTO lip glosses offer
vibrant variety and protection against the elements. This without
the worry and critical danger associated with harmful chemicals,
like lead, typically found in
most of today’s makeup and
skin care products.
“My daughter is the reason
I added lip gloss to KTO’s line
of skin care products. Just
look at the ingredients on
most lip products, they aren’t
something that should be on
or in your mouth!” stated Kelly
Teegarden, the company’s
founder.
“When formulating our
products, all ingredients are
researched in relation to carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting
properties and tendencies.”
KTO lip glosses feature an applicator with an LED light that
shines perfectly on your lips. Available now at kellyteegardenor-
ganics.com.
Lip Gloss OfferS HEALTH AND MOISTURE‘Tis the season to bid goodbye to dry, chapped, colorless
lips! Kelly Teegarden Organics is giving you a reason to smile
this holiday season with their new KTO Lip Gloss. Made with
dragon’s blood (sap from
dragon’s tree) and other
healing ingredients, KTO’s
lip gloss leaves the lips feel-
ing moisturized and radiant
with color. Available now for
a MSRP of $25.00 these re-
freshing glosses make the
perfect stocking stuffer.
• No cancer-causing
ingredients
• No organ toxicity
• No endocrine disruptors
• No toxic levels of
ingredients
• Natural preservatives based on salt
• Never tested on animals
With the dry winter season just around the corner, main-
taining skin and lip care is essential to avoid cracking and dry-
New
s pi
eces
writ
ten
by C
andi
ce Y
acon
o. Im
ages
cou
rtes
y th
eir r
espe
ctiv
e co
mpa
nies
.
10 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 11
Aroos FeatureAroos NewsThe traditional Persian New Year — marking the arrival of spring — has been
celebrated since ancient times. This year, join your neighbors in a program of festive Persian music, courtesy of the Pacific Symphony and the Farhang Foundation.
Attendees also will celebrate the world premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Peace Oratorio, commissioned by Pacific Symphony as part of this year’s American Composers Festival.
Enjoy “Celebrating Nowruz” nightly at 8 p.m. from March 22 to 24 at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa. Tickets are $25 to $185.
The event is conducted by Carl St.Clair and Farhad Mechkat, with famed soprano Hila Plitmann, the highly in-demand Shams Ensemble and the Pacific Chorale, with artistic director John Alexander.
The program includes: Kodaly: Dances of Galanta; Traditional Persian Music - performed by the Shams Ensemble and the Symphony; and Danielpour: Toward a Season of Peace.
Information: scfta.org.
Celebrate Norouz with Hila Plitmann & the Pacific Symphony
ing. With ten different colors to choose from, KTO lip glosses offer
vibrant variety and protection against the elements. This without
the worry and critical danger associated with harmful chemicals,
like lead, typically found in
most of today’s makeup and
skin care products.
“My daughter is the reason
I added lip gloss to KTO’s line
of skin care products. Just
look at the ingredients on
most lip products, they aren’t
something that should be on
or in your mouth!” stated Kelly
Teegarden, the company’s
founder.
“When formulating our
products, all ingredients are
researched in relation to carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting
properties and tendencies.”
KTO lip glosses feature an applicator with an LED light that
shines perfectly on your lips. Available now at kellyteegardenor-
ganics.com.
Lip Gloss OfferS HEALTH AND MOISTURE‘Tis the season to bid goodbye to dry, chapped, colorless
lips! Kelly Teegarden Organics is giving you a reason to smile
this holiday season with their new KTO Lip Gloss. Made with
dragon’s blood (sap from
dragon’s tree) and other
healing ingredients, KTO’s
lip gloss leaves the lips feel-
ing moisturized and radiant
with color. Available now for
a MSRP of $25.00 these re-
freshing glosses make the
perfect stocking stuffer.
• No cancer-causing
ingredients
• No organ toxicity
• No endocrine disruptors
• No toxic levels of
ingredients
• Natural preservatives based on salt
• Never tested on animals
With the dry winter season just around the corner, main-
taining skin and lip care is essential to avoid cracking and dry-
New
s pi
eces
writ
ten
by C
andi
ce Y
acon
o. Im
ages
cou
rtes
y th
eir r
espe
ctiv
e co
mpa
nies
.
12 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 13
Aroos FeatureAroos NewsAroos News
Excerpted from an article by Michael Shah-
ani, Director of Operations at Nebraska Cultures
The New Year is a time when many take a
fresh look at their lives and choose areas where
they wish to make a change – presumably for
the better. Starting with a review of your person-
al health regimen is always a great way to begin.
1. Detox – throwing out the good with the
bad? With the growing popularity of “detoxing”
many often overlook the fact that while your
body may be purging itself of negative “junk”
that’s been built up over the years, you are also
ridding your body of potentially needed nutri-
ents and probiotics. It’s important to follow your
detox with an appropriate course of nutritionally
stable probiotics.
2. Diet Fads Need to Fade. It’s no secret that
a healthy diet and exercise burns calories, and
burning calories reduces weight. So why all of
the fad dieting? Drastic diets can harm your
body and digestive tract by depleting your body
of essential nutrients.
3. Don’t forget your vitamins. Certain probi-
otics (L. acidophilus DDS-1) have been shown
to produce B vitamins naturally, which support
and increase the rate of metabolism, help main-
tain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance
nervous system function. Vitamin B9, or Folic
Acid, is essential for children, adults, and espe-
cially expectant mothers.
4. Strep throat or other bacterial infection
in 2011? Remember, if you took a course of
antibiotics in 2011, it’s extremely important to
replenish your body’s balance by reintroducing
probiotics into your gut/system.
5. You’re only as confident as you feel. Re-
gardless of how much exercise you’ve invested
to look your best, it’s always hard to feel your
best when you’re not conditioning your inside
as well! Digestive roadblocks can cause un-
wanted side effects like feeling constipated or
bloated if you’re not eating enough of the right
foods to produce healthy bacteria.
6. Slow and steady wins the race. Losing
weight to be healthier is a commendable goal,
but for some, the task can be intimidating. Re-
sorting to extreme diets is not only unhealthy
but sometimes life threatening, so losing at a
pace your body can ‘understand’ will only ben-
efit you in the long run. Keep in mind that for
every two pounds of excess weight lost, you
also drop your cholesterol an average of three
points, so shedding a few points can have a sig-
nificant impact on your health.
7. Where’s the love? Caring for your health is
not only a smart move for your body, but also
for your well-being! By eating right, staying ac-
tive, and taking your probiotics regularly, you’re
giving your body the care and attention it de-
serves, plus a little extra love!
8. I don’t know what you’ve been told... Probi-
otics should be cold! Keep them cool and dry so
they will be alive when they get into your body.
For best results and for long-term storage, most
probiotics need to be kept refrigerated.
9. Quality Over Quantity! Losing weight can
sometimes be a daunting task! We all want to
look and feel our best, and we want it right now!
This makes it easy to forget how harmful fad
dieting can really be, especially on your diges-
tive system - a vital component to weight loss.
By keeping a well-balanced and realistic diet, as
well as adding probiotic supplements to your
health regimen, the frustrations of weight loss
will slowly but surely disappear for good.
Body Beautiful: Top Health Tips for the New Year
Culinary Fun with AphrodisiacsTo celebrate the month of romance, sign up for an aphrodisiac culinary
class hosted by RAYA Chef Marissa Gerlach and and guest chef Richard Sandoval at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel on Feb. 11. The demonstra-tion-style class is $109 per person and will be presented from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Following the demonstration, guests will enjoy a five-course menu, along with paired cocktails. The menu highlights such aphrodisiacs as pomegranates, oysters, avocados, salmon, and of course, chocolate. Oysters are brimming with zinc, a mineral that cranks up the production of testosterone, which has been linked to a higher sex drive. The pomegran-ate owes its passion power to antioxidants, which protect the lining of blood vessels, allowing more blood to course through them. Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which keep hormone production at its peak.
Information: ritzcarlton.com/LagunaNiguel.
New
s pi
eces
writ
ten
by C
andi
ce Y
acon
o. Im
ages
cou
rtes
y th
eir r
espe
ctiv
e co
mpa
nies
; oys
ter i
mag
e fr
om S
tock
.Xch
ng.
Pelican Hill Gains Prestigious Award
Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report has se-
lected The Resort at Pelican Hill, in Newport
Coast, as its 2012 “Grand Resort” honoree
in the January 2012 Grand Awards issue.
Each year, the highly respected luxury travel
publication profiles the top hotels, resorts
and travel experiences selected by Editor in
Chief Andrew Harper.
“We are absolutely delighted by Mr.
Harper’s selection of Pelican Hill as the 2012
Grand Resort,” said Giuseppe Lama, Pelican
Hill Managing Director. “This prestigious
honor is a testament to the Pelican Hill
team’s vision, passion and dedication to cre-
ate a luxury destination to serve the world’s
most discerning guests.”
Information: AndrewHarper.com/
grand-awards-2012.
sTELLAR New Products for the New YearBrilliantFx Body Serum, trinityofyouth.com. Retail Price: $39.99.This new body serum is a combination of Lactic Acid and Arnica montana delivered
in a concentrated, 4 ounce/120 mls serum. Lactic Acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA)
that contributes to greater cellular turn-over allowing new cells to surface. Lactic acid is
noted for its rich moisturizing attributes and its ability to exfoliate dead skin cells with-
out provoking skin irritation. BrilliantFx contains the highest % of Lactic Acid by volume
on the market today. Arnica tinctures act in a similar way as glucocorticoids, which are
commonly prescribed in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions.
417 Body Kit, minus417.com. Retail Price: $61.85.Aromatic Body Peeling: Aromatic and gentle body peeling. Based on microscopic
grains of Dead Sea salt, which gently exfoliate dead and dry skin cells, encourage skin
regeneration and reduce signs of aging. Lightly fragranced and contains horse chestnut
extract. Aromatic Body Butter: Enriched with Shea butter that nourishes, relaxes the
skin, protects it from UV radiation and prevents aging. Sweet almond oil, avocado oil and
mango extract give a feeling of silkiness. Contains their unique Vitamin Mineral Complex.
Encourages skin regeneration. Prevents Skin Aging.
417 Miracle Immediate Wrinkle Filler, minus417.com. Retail Cost: $92.00.This is a unique cream for instant care and filling of expression and age wrinkles.
Its features a potent combination of natural chestnut seed oil, calcium and clay that
solidifies and penetrates deep into the wrinkle. The cream helps rejuvenate and protect
against free radicals thanks to vitamins A and E and Camila leaves extract. It is also rich
with caffeine for instant firming action. This velvety smooth cream increases the skin’s
moisture level through a mixture of wheat germ, oenothera and avocado unripe oils
combined with the Dead Sea’s natural minerals. Recommended for all skin types.
12 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 13
Aroos FeatureAroos NewsAroos News
Excerpted from an article by Michael Shah-
ani, Director of Operations at Nebraska Cultures
The New Year is a time when many take a
fresh look at their lives and choose areas where
they wish to make a change – presumably for
the better. Starting with a review of your person-
al health regimen is always a great way to begin.
1. Detox – throwing out the good with the
bad? With the growing popularity of “detoxing”
many often overlook the fact that while your
body may be purging itself of negative “junk”
that’s been built up over the years, you are also
ridding your body of potentially needed nutri-
ents and probiotics. It’s important to follow your
detox with an appropriate course of nutritionally
stable probiotics.
2. Diet Fads Need to Fade. It’s no secret that
a healthy diet and exercise burns calories, and
burning calories reduces weight. So why all of
the fad dieting? Drastic diets can harm your
body and digestive tract by depleting your body
of essential nutrients.
3. Don’t forget your vitamins. Certain probi-
otics (L. acidophilus DDS-1) have been shown
to produce B vitamins naturally, which support
and increase the rate of metabolism, help main-
tain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance
nervous system function. Vitamin B9, or Folic
Acid, is essential for children, adults, and espe-
cially expectant mothers.
4. Strep throat or other bacterial infection
in 2011? Remember, if you took a course of
antibiotics in 2011, it’s extremely important to
replenish your body’s balance by reintroducing
probiotics into your gut/system.
5. You’re only as confident as you feel. Re-
gardless of how much exercise you’ve invested
to look your best, it’s always hard to feel your
best when you’re not conditioning your inside
as well! Digestive roadblocks can cause un-
wanted side effects like feeling constipated or
bloated if you’re not eating enough of the right
foods to produce healthy bacteria.
6. Slow and steady wins the race. Losing
weight to be healthier is a commendable goal,
but for some, the task can be intimidating. Re-
sorting to extreme diets is not only unhealthy
but sometimes life threatening, so losing at a
pace your body can ‘understand’ will only ben-
efit you in the long run. Keep in mind that for
every two pounds of excess weight lost, you
also drop your cholesterol an average of three
points, so shedding a few points can have a sig-
nificant impact on your health.
7. Where’s the love? Caring for your health is
not only a smart move for your body, but also
for your well-being! By eating right, staying ac-
tive, and taking your probiotics regularly, you’re
giving your body the care and attention it de-
serves, plus a little extra love!
8. I don’t know what you’ve been told... Probi-
otics should be cold! Keep them cool and dry so
they will be alive when they get into your body.
For best results and for long-term storage, most
probiotics need to be kept refrigerated.
9. Quality Over Quantity! Losing weight can
sometimes be a daunting task! We all want to
look and feel our best, and we want it right now!
This makes it easy to forget how harmful fad
dieting can really be, especially on your diges-
tive system - a vital component to weight loss.
By keeping a well-balanced and realistic diet, as
well as adding probiotic supplements to your
health regimen, the frustrations of weight loss
will slowly but surely disappear for good.
Body Beautiful: Top Health Tips for the New Year
Culinary Fun with AphrodisiacsTo celebrate the month of romance, sign up for an aphrodisiac culinary
class hosted by RAYA Chef Marissa Gerlach and and guest chef Richard Sandoval at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel on Feb. 11. The demonstra-tion-style class is $109 per person and will be presented from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Following the demonstration, guests will enjoy a five-course menu, along with paired cocktails. The menu highlights such aphrodisiacs as pomegranates, oysters, avocados, salmon, and of course, chocolate. Oysters are brimming with zinc, a mineral that cranks up the production of testosterone, which has been linked to a higher sex drive. The pomegran-ate owes its passion power to antioxidants, which protect the lining of blood vessels, allowing more blood to course through them. Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which keep hormone production at its peak.
Information: ritzcarlton.com/LagunaNiguel.
New
s pi
eces
writ
ten
by C
andi
ce Y
acon
o. Im
ages
cou
rtes
y th
eir r
espe
ctiv
e co
mpa
nies
; oys
ter i
mag
e fr
om S
tock
.Xch
ng.
Pelican Hill Gains Prestigious Award
Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report has se-
lected The Resort at Pelican Hill, in Newport
Coast, as its 2012 “Grand Resort” honoree
in the January 2012 Grand Awards issue.
Each year, the highly respected luxury travel
publication profiles the top hotels, resorts
and travel experiences selected by Editor in
Chief Andrew Harper.
“We are absolutely delighted by Mr.
Harper’s selection of Pelican Hill as the 2012
Grand Resort,” said Giuseppe Lama, Pelican
Hill Managing Director. “This prestigious
honor is a testament to the Pelican Hill
team’s vision, passion and dedication to cre-
ate a luxury destination to serve the world’s
most discerning guests.”
Information: AndrewHarper.com/
grand-awards-2012.
sTELLAR New Products for the New YearBrilliantFx Body Serum, trinityofyouth.com. Retail Price: $39.99.This new body serum is a combination of Lactic Acid and Arnica montana delivered
in a concentrated, 4 ounce/120 mls serum. Lactic Acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA)
that contributes to greater cellular turn-over allowing new cells to surface. Lactic acid is
noted for its rich moisturizing attributes and its ability to exfoliate dead skin cells with-
out provoking skin irritation. BrilliantFx contains the highest % of Lactic Acid by volume
on the market today. Arnica tinctures act in a similar way as glucocorticoids, which are
commonly prescribed in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions.
417 Body Kit, minus417.com. Retail Price: $61.85.Aromatic Body Peeling: Aromatic and gentle body peeling. Based on microscopic
grains of Dead Sea salt, which gently exfoliate dead and dry skin cells, encourage skin
regeneration and reduce signs of aging. Lightly fragranced and contains horse chestnut
extract. Aromatic Body Butter: Enriched with Shea butter that nourishes, relaxes the
skin, protects it from UV radiation and prevents aging. Sweet almond oil, avocado oil and
mango extract give a feeling of silkiness. Contains their unique Vitamin Mineral Complex.
Encourages skin regeneration. Prevents Skin Aging.
417 Miracle Immediate Wrinkle Filler, minus417.com. Retail Cost: $92.00.This is a unique cream for instant care and filling of expression and age wrinkles.
Its features a potent combination of natural chestnut seed oil, calcium and clay that
solidifies and penetrates deep into the wrinkle. The cream helps rejuvenate and protect
against free radicals thanks to vitamins A and E and Camila leaves extract. It is also rich
with caffeine for instant firming action. This velvety smooth cream increases the skin’s
moisture level through a mixture of wheat germ, oenothera and avocado unripe oils
combined with the Dead Sea’s natural minerals. Recommended for all skin types.
18 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 19
Aroos Feature
This year’s 4th Annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show on the a� ernoon of Jan. 15 was a study in spectacle.
The overall ambience, compared to previous shows, was as though you were walking into an A-list wedding re-cep� on — tables beckoned, bedecked in gorgeous fl oral arrangements and surrounded by ar� ully draped chairs; violinists held sway over enraptured impromptu audiences; and delectable cake and candy samples disappeared as fast as they were put out.
The show, featuring 65 of the top
event vendors in Southern California, bedazzled more than 4,000 visitors.
A highlight for many was the set of two fashion shows featuring three designers and three teams of hair and makeup ar� sts; each show boasted 15 models wearing the latest in bridal couture. The show’s emcees, Allan Fuentes Buenafe and Monica Mah-moudi, described each gown in detail.
We are eternally beholden to our marke� ng sponsors, Mr. Shahram Ra-himian; Dr. Media Najafi ; Mr. Koroush Jafari; Dr. Ramin Tayani; Mr. Kamran
Aminloo; and Mr. Ramin Ghazi. We also would like to give a special thanks to Shideh Shahraies (Events by Shi-deh), Jeannie Savage (Details Details), Jozef Bina (Royal Events), Amber Yin (Amber Events Produc� on), Gilbert Baghramina (GB Ligh� ng), Alex Amidi (Square Root), Edwards Moreno (E.M.S Security), Gilert Yousefi an, Melissa Slater, Robert Yomtubi, Pejman Rahimi and Rabin Yomtubi.
Thanks also go out to the a� end-ing media for their support: Javanan Magazine, Radio 670 A.M., TI Network, Nabz.com, and Radio Javan.
A Dazzling DisplayThe 4th Annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show draws thousands.
18 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 19
Aroos Feature
This year’s 4th Annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show on the a� ernoon of Jan. 15 was a study in spectacle.
The overall ambience, compared to previous shows, was as though you were walking into an A-list wedding re-cep� on — tables beckoned, bedecked in gorgeous fl oral arrangements and surrounded by ar� ully draped chairs; violinists held sway over enraptured impromptu audiences; and delectable cake and candy samples disappeared as fast as they were put out.
The show, featuring 65 of the top
event vendors in Southern California, bedazzled more than 4,000 visitors.
A highlight for many was the set of two fashion shows featuring three designers and three teams of hair and makeup ar� sts; each show boasted 15 models wearing the latest in bridal couture. The show’s emcees, Allan Fuentes Buenafe and Monica Mah-moudi, described each gown in detail.
We are eternally beholden to our marke� ng sponsors, Mr. Shahram Ra-himian; Dr. Media Najafi ; Mr. Koroush Jafari; Dr. Ramin Tayani; Mr. Kamran
Aminloo; and Mr. Ramin Ghazi. We also would like to give a special thanks to Shideh Shahraies (Events by Shi-deh), Jeannie Savage (Details Details), Jozef Bina (Royal Events), Amber Yin (Amber Events Produc� on), Gilbert Baghramina (GB Ligh� ng), Alex Amidi (Square Root), Edwards Moreno (E.M.S Security), Gilert Yousefi an, Melissa Slater, Robert Yomtubi, Pejman Rahimi and Rabin Yomtubi.
Thanks also go out to the a� end-ing media for their support: Javanan Magazine, Radio 670 A.M., TI Network, Nabz.com, and Radio Javan.
A Dazzling DisplayThe 4th Annual Aroos Magazine Wedding Show draws thousands.
20 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 21
Aroos Feature
20 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 21
Aroos Feature
22 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 23
Aroos Feature
22 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 23
Aroos Feature
24 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 25
Aroos Feature• 90210 Entertainment Group
888.529.0210 www.90210ent.com• Afsaneh Sargordian (Sofreh Aghd)
714.457.2484 www.afsanehsargordian.com
• Alireza & Pouria Khademi 949.689.8866 www.myviolin.com
• Amber Event Produc� on 800.881.0738 www.ambereventproduc� on.com
• Andres Floral & Event Design 323.960.0144 www.andresfl oraldesign.com
• Anqi Bistro 714.557.5679 www.anqibistro.com
• Arman Design• Aroos Inc. 310.753.9622
www.aroosmagazine.com • Arsineh Ghazarian (Hairstylist)
818.606.5141 • Atmosphere Entertainment
714.502.9144 atmospheredj.com• Bella Blooms Florist 714.721.3976
www.bella-blooms.com • Bloomingdale’s 714.824.4804
www.bloomingdales.com• Bohemia Dance and Entertainment
818.590.2827 www.bohemiadance.com • Bon Bon Gi� s 310.717.5204
www.bonbongi� s.com• Caspian Event Center 949.651.8934
caspianrestaurant.com• CBM Special Events 818.749.4442
www.cbmspecialevents.com • Dawn Kim (Atelier) 213.382.4676
www.atelierbydawn.com • DermaBare 949.545.6600
www.dermabare.com• Design by Panteha 310.962.0967
www.designbypanteha.com• Details Details 949.600.8881
www.aboutdetailsdetails.com• Digital Mo� on Entertainment
(DJ Payman) 323.595.1202 www.digitalmo� onent.com
• DJ Mohsen 858.558.0808 www.djmohsen.com
• DJ Taraneh 310.826.6227 www.djtaraneh.com
• Elaina Badro (Makeup) 818.720.9490 www.elainabadromakeup.com
• Elegant Sofreh Design 949.331.3131 www.elegantsofrehdesign.com
• Elle Brides (Hair & Makeup) 310.247.0145 www.ellebrides.us
• Events by Shideh 310.435.9005 www.eventsbyshideh.com
• Faye Ebadat (Offi ciant) 858.481.7080 www.aghdoaroosi.com
• Fusion Linens 949.600.8851 www.fusionlinenscatalog.com
• GB Ligh� ng Design 818.402.1369 www.gbligh� ngdesign.com
• Hatam Restaurant 949.768.0122 www.hatamcusine.com
• Hya� Regency Irvine 949.975.1234 irvine.hya� .com
• Invita� ons by Ferial 310.666.1399 www.invita� onsbyferial.com
• Invita� on Design Studio 714.573.4603 www.invita� ondesignstudio.com
• John & Joseph Photography 310.883.5803 www.johnandjoseph.com
• Kiyana Dance Company 310.908.8131 www.kiyanadancecompany.com
• LA Wedding Si� er 310.804.4561 www.la-weddingsi� er.com
• Laguna Beach Bride Inc. 888.888.2743 www.lagunabeachbride.com
• Law Offi ce of Christopher K. Jafari 949.852.4454 www.jafarilaw.net
• M.S. Travel & Tours 818.333.0077 www.mstraveltours.com
• Magic Eye Photo & Video 949.831.1353 www.magiceyephoto.com
• Masrour Catering 818.776.8833 www.partyorganiza� on.com
• Massy (Tradi� onal Iranian Cookies) 949.387.7157 www.massybakery.com
• Media Najafi DDS 949.872.2200 www.lovesyoursmile.com
• Mehri N. Rad (Ordained Marriage Offi ciant) 949.294.2518
• Metro Digital Prin� ng 714.545.8400 www.metro-digital.com
• MNM Photography 714.562.9282 www.minmiphotography.com
• Montage Laguna Beach 949.715.6113 www.montagelagunabeachweddings.com
• Navid Studio Photography & Video 310.753.9622 www.navidstudio.com
• Parvins Flowers 818.995.8272• Photo Works Interac� ve 800.990.8445
www.photoworksinterac� ve.com• Power Valet Parking 310.228.7965
www.powervaletparking.com • Queen’s Bakery 714.895.5500
www.queensbakerycafe.com• Rose Flower 818.518.4453
www.rosefl oraldesigns.com• Royal Events Inc. 818.361.8168
www.royaleventsinc.com• Save the Veil 800.808.1333
www.savetheveil.com • Sayeh Askarri Bridal 310.654.0910
www.askarri.com • Shahrzad Ardalan Wedding Offi ciant
310.741.6800 www.shahrzadardalan.com
• Shirvan Design 310.246.4446 www.shirvandesign.com
• Simin Couture 310.967.0000 www.simincouture.com
• SLS Hotel 310.246.2064 www.slshotels.com
• Sofreh Aghd by Nazanin 714.488.3257 www.nazaninsa.com
• Soraya Jewels 949.717.6666 www.sorayajewels.com
• Spring Flowers 818.990.6724 www.springfl owersandevents.com
• Square Root Designs 949.380.3320 www.squarerootdesigns.com
• St Regis Monarch Beach 949.234.3402 www.stregismb.com
• Stella&Dot 818.625.2648 www.stelladot.com/sarahnooh
• Style Bar Beverly Hills 310.858.2400 www.stylebarbh.com
• The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel 949.240.5047 www.ritzcarlton.com
• Wildfl ower Linens 714.522.2777 www.wildfl owerlinens.com
SHO
W V
END
OR
S
24 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 25
Aroos Feature• 90210 Entertainment Group
888.529.0210 www.90210ent.com• Afsaneh Sargordian (Sofreh Aghd)
714.457.2484 www.afsanehsargordian.com
• Alireza & Pouria Khademi 949.689.8866 www.myviolin.com
• Amber Event Produc� on 800.881.0738 www.ambereventproduc� on.com
• Andres Floral & Event Design 323.960.0144 www.andresfl oraldesign.com
• Anqi Bistro 714.557.5679 www.anqibistro.com
• Arman Design• Aroos Inc. 310.753.9622
www.aroosmagazine.com • Arsineh Ghazarian (Hairstylist)
818.606.5141 • Atmosphere Entertainment
714.502.9144 atmospheredj.com• Bella Blooms Florist 714.721.3976
www.bella-blooms.com • Bloomingdale’s 714.824.4804
www.bloomingdales.com• Bohemia Dance and Entertainment
818.590.2827 www.bohemiadance.com • Bon Bon Gi� s 310.717.5204
www.bonbongi� s.com• Caspian Event Center 949.651.8934
caspianrestaurant.com• CBM Special Events 818.749.4442
www.cbmspecialevents.com • Dawn Kim (Atelier) 213.382.4676
www.atelierbydawn.com • DermaBare 949.545.6600
www.dermabare.com• Design by Panteha 310.962.0967
www.designbypanteha.com• Details Details 949.600.8881
www.aboutdetailsdetails.com• Digital Mo� on Entertainment
(DJ Payman) 323.595.1202 www.digitalmo� onent.com
• DJ Mohsen 858.558.0808 www.djmohsen.com
• DJ Taraneh 310.826.6227 www.djtaraneh.com
• Elaina Badro (Makeup) 818.720.9490 www.elainabadromakeup.com
• Elegant Sofreh Design 949.331.3131 www.elegantsofrehdesign.com
• Elle Brides (Hair & Makeup) 310.247.0145 www.ellebrides.us
• Events by Shideh 310.435.9005 www.eventsbyshideh.com
• Faye Ebadat (Offi ciant) 858.481.7080 www.aghdoaroosi.com
• Fusion Linens 949.600.8851 www.fusionlinenscatalog.com
• GB Ligh� ng Design 818.402.1369 www.gbligh� ngdesign.com
• Hatam Restaurant 949.768.0122 www.hatamcusine.com
• Hya� Regency Irvine 949.975.1234 irvine.hya� .com
• Invita� ons by Ferial 310.666.1399 www.invita� onsbyferial.com
• Invita� on Design Studio 714.573.4603 www.invita� ondesignstudio.com
• John & Joseph Photography 310.883.5803 www.johnandjoseph.com
• Kiyana Dance Company 310.908.8131 www.kiyanadancecompany.com
• LA Wedding Si� er 310.804.4561 www.la-weddingsi� er.com
• Laguna Beach Bride Inc. 888.888.2743 www.lagunabeachbride.com
• Law Offi ce of Christopher K. Jafari 949.852.4454 www.jafarilaw.net
• M.S. Travel & Tours 818.333.0077 www.mstraveltours.com
• Magic Eye Photo & Video 949.831.1353 www.magiceyephoto.com
• Masrour Catering 818.776.8833 www.partyorganiza� on.com
• Massy (Tradi� onal Iranian Cookies) 949.387.7157 www.massybakery.com
• Media Najafi DDS 949.872.2200 www.lovesyoursmile.com
• Mehri N. Rad (Ordained Marriage Offi ciant) 949.294.2518
• Metro Digital Prin� ng 714.545.8400 www.metro-digital.com
• MNM Photography 714.562.9282 www.minmiphotography.com
• Montage Laguna Beach 949.715.6113 www.montagelagunabeachweddings.com
• Navid Studio Photography & Video 310.753.9622 www.navidstudio.com
• Parvins Flowers 818.995.8272• Photo Works Interac� ve 800.990.8445
www.photoworksinterac� ve.com• Power Valet Parking 310.228.7965
www.powervaletparking.com • Queen’s Bakery 714.895.5500
www.queensbakerycafe.com• Rose Flower 818.518.4453
www.rosefl oraldesigns.com• Royal Events Inc. 818.361.8168
www.royaleventsinc.com• Save the Veil 800.808.1333
www.savetheveil.com • Sayeh Askarri Bridal 310.654.0910
www.askarri.com • Shahrzad Ardalan Wedding Offi ciant
310.741.6800 www.shahrzadardalan.com
• Shirvan Design 310.246.4446 www.shirvandesign.com
• Simin Couture 310.967.0000 www.simincouture.com
• SLS Hotel 310.246.2064 www.slshotels.com
• Sofreh Aghd by Nazanin 714.488.3257 www.nazaninsa.com
• Soraya Jewels 949.717.6666 www.sorayajewels.com
• Spring Flowers 818.990.6724 www.springfl owersandevents.com
• Square Root Designs 949.380.3320 www.squarerootdesigns.com
• St Regis Monarch Beach 949.234.3402 www.stregismb.com
• Stella&Dot 818.625.2648 www.stelladot.com/sarahnooh
• Style Bar Beverly Hills 310.858.2400 www.stylebarbh.com
• The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel 949.240.5047 www.ritzcarlton.com
• Wildfl ower Linens 714.522.2777 www.wildfl owerlinens.com
SHO
W V
END
OR
S
28 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 29
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: Noir NuptialsFor a touch of Audrey Hepburn chic, go vin-tage by using black as your main accent color. Everything from gowns to flowers to ribbons can be found in various shades and textures of black; it also makes a great accent color.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
28 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 29
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: Noir NuptialsFor a touch of Audrey Hepburn chic, go vin-tage by using black as your main accent color. Everything from gowns to flowers to ribbons can be found in various shades and textures of black; it also makes a great accent color.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
30 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 31
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: Blanc de BlancsWho needs color when there’s the ever-popular range of white shades? From cool ivory linen to white shantung silk, try going monochromatic with more than just the dress - think flowers, cake, tablescapes and even the tuxedos.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
30 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 31
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: Blanc de BlancsWho needs color when there’s the ever-popular range of white shades? From cool ivory linen to white shantung silk, try going monochromatic with more than just the dress - think flowers, cake, tablescapes and even the tuxedos.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
32 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 33
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: B&WFar more than words on a page or the hues of an old television show, the shades of black and white, as opposites on the spectrum, are the ultimate statement; no wonder that men’s tuxedos have been black and white for centuries.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
32 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 33
Aroos Feature
A Color Story: B&WFar more than words on a page or the hues of an old television show, the shades of black and white, as opposites on the spectrum, are the ultimate statement; no wonder that men’s tuxedos have been black and white for centuries.
Phot
ogra
phy
prov
ided
by
stoc
k.xc
hng
36 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 37
Aroos Feature
Coastal Luxury
For the utmost in comfort, luxury and natural beauty, there are few alternatives to the Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach.
By Candice Yacono
Seeking a private oasis for your luxury wedding? Look no further than the Montage Resort & Spa.
The Montage opened to cri� cal acclaim nine years ago; its idyllic ocean-front Laguna Beach loca� on already has become the stuff of legend.
Director of Catering Jaime Puff er and her dedicated staff will see to every couple’s wedding needs. “I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 10 years,” Puff er said. “I started at the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Bar-bara, where I was a Banquet Server. I
of for their wedding day.
“Our team of professionals works one-on-one with each couple during the en� re process to ensure they are taken care of every step of the way. On wed-ding day, we are with you the whole day to ensure everything is perfect!
“Day of, we also have a dedicated Wedding Concierge to assist in catering to your every whim (i.e. should you need a safety pin, or any last minute steaming, or even an In-n-Out burger or Starbucks Frappuccino), from the moment you wake un� l you head back to your Honeymoon Suite.”
am so very thankful for the experience I acquired there, specifi cally in regards to the hands on service aspect of Cater-ing. I joined Montage Laguna Beach in 2003, and am currently the Director of Catering for the resort.”
Puff er said her team is highly involved with each couple in their wedding prepara� ons.
“My team and I work with the couple from the day they book to the day of their wedding,” she said. “Montage Laguna Beach off ers the highest level of service with the most stunning se� ng that any engaged couple could dream
Puff er added that the Montage is well regarded for its personal touch in the planning process.
“Couples can expect the best service, personalized details and amazing food at Montage Laguna Beach,” she said. “Each couple will meet with one of our talented Catering Managers who will walk them through our wedding experience. We assist in securing vendors and ensure that each couples’ wedding vision is executed to a tee. We give couples the freedom to customize every single aspect of their wedding so it truly is a one-of-a-kind event.
All photography in this article provided by the Montage.
36 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 37
Aroos Feature
Coastal Luxury
For the utmost in comfort, luxury and natural beauty, there are few alternatives to the Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach.
By Candice Yacono
Seeking a private oasis for your luxury wedding? Look no further than the Montage Resort & Spa.
The Montage opened to cri� cal acclaim nine years ago; its idyllic ocean-front Laguna Beach loca� on already has become the stuff of legend.
Director of Catering Jaime Puff er and her dedicated staff will see to every couple’s wedding needs. “I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 10 years,” Puff er said. “I started at the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Bar-bara, where I was a Banquet Server. I
of for their wedding day.
“Our team of professionals works one-on-one with each couple during the en� re process to ensure they are taken care of every step of the way. On wed-ding day, we are with you the whole day to ensure everything is perfect!
“Day of, we also have a dedicated Wedding Concierge to assist in catering to your every whim (i.e. should you need a safety pin, or any last minute steaming, or even an In-n-Out burger or Starbucks Frappuccino), from the moment you wake un� l you head back to your Honeymoon Suite.”
am so very thankful for the experience I acquired there, specifi cally in regards to the hands on service aspect of Cater-ing. I joined Montage Laguna Beach in 2003, and am currently the Director of Catering for the resort.”
Puff er said her team is highly involved with each couple in their wedding prepara� ons.
“My team and I work with the couple from the day they book to the day of their wedding,” she said. “Montage Laguna Beach off ers the highest level of service with the most stunning se� ng that any engaged couple could dream
Puff er added that the Montage is well regarded for its personal touch in the planning process.
“Couples can expect the best service, personalized details and amazing food at Montage Laguna Beach,” she said. “Each couple will meet with one of our talented Catering Managers who will walk them through our wedding experience. We assist in securing vendors and ensure that each couples’ wedding vision is executed to a tee. We give couples the freedom to customize every single aspect of their wedding so it truly is a one-of-a-kind event.
All photography in this article provided by the Montage.
38 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 39
Aroos Feature“We are constantly praised
for our exquisite food quality, impeccable service and warm and caring associates. Another special touch is that our couples are guaranteed to be the only wed-ding at the resort on their special day. We commit to hos� ng one wedding a day, so our en� re resort is dedicated and prepared to each specifi c couple.”
An added benefi t to such a pri-vate setup is that wedding photos are easy to set up.
“As we only ever allow one wedding per day, the couple has exclusive access to our en� re resort on their wedding day,” Puff er said. “They can take their wedding photos on the beach with the waves crashing behind them, up on our coastal bluff with the 180 degrees of ocean, or by any of our stunning art pieces
throughout the resort.”
Onsite venues include several ballrooms, the oceanfront Pacifi c and Ocean lawns, as well as the signature oceanfront Studio Restaurant. All weddings are custom-designed, to ensure that each couples’ signature vision comes to life, Puff er said.
“Our Execu� ve Chef Rob Wilson is truly amazing. He delights in si� ng with each one of our couples to customize a menu that is perfect for them! We love to incorporate each couple’s favor-ites food and their par� cular style into the menu to make it personal for their wedding day.”
To learn more or to book a visit, call (949) 715-6000 or go to montagelagunabeachweddings.com; Jaime Puff er, Director of Catering, will help you to cra� a custom experience.
All
phot
ogra
phy
in th
is a
rticl
e pr
ovid
ed b
y th
e M
onta
ge.
38 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 39
Aroos Feature“We are constantly praised
for our exquisite food quality, impeccable service and warm and caring associates. Another special touch is that our couples are guaranteed to be the only wed-ding at the resort on their special day. We commit to hos� ng one wedding a day, so our en� re resort is dedicated and prepared to each specifi c couple.”
An added benefi t to such a pri-vate setup is that wedding photos are easy to set up.
“As we only ever allow one wedding per day, the couple has exclusive access to our en� re resort on their wedding day,” Puff er said. “They can take their wedding photos on the beach with the waves crashing behind them, up on our coastal bluff with the 180 degrees of ocean, or by any of our stunning art pieces
throughout the resort.”
Onsite venues include several ballrooms, the oceanfront Pacifi c and Ocean lawns, as well as the signature oceanfront Studio Restaurant. All weddings are custom-designed, to ensure that each couples’ signature vision comes to life, Puff er said.
“Our Execu� ve Chef Rob Wilson is truly amazing. He delights in si� ng with each one of our couples to customize a menu that is perfect for them! We love to incorporate each couple’s favor-ites food and their par� cular style into the menu to make it personal for their wedding day.”
To learn more or to book a visit, call (949) 715-6000 or go to montagelagunabeachweddings.com; Jaime Puff er, Director of Catering, will help you to cra� a custom experience.
40 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 41
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 41
All photography in this article provided by Events by Shideh. Image this page by Viera Photography.
Shideh Shahraies is one of the re-gion’s top luxury event planners and designers; her name has become syn-onymous with flawless, gorgeous and seamless events.
After earning a degree in business administration, Shideh worked closely with famed designer Bijan for more than 10 years, and learned and prac-ticed working with upscale clientele, where she developed outstanding mar-
keting skills, she said.
“He was a true icon and an outstand-ing mentor,” Shideh said.
She also worked at Neiman Mar-cus as a general manager, where she learned about upscale product and worked with the Who’s Who of the in-dustry, she said.
She formed Events by Shideh more than 10 years ago, after creating a
Shideh brings the sublime to you, by adding her famous touch to your event.
Designed for DestinyShideh’s Hot
Wedding Trends
1. Vintage wedding gowns2. Vintage touch in all areas3. Strong lighting & specialty
LED lighting4. Creating wedding websites
5. Photo booth rental with color backdrops
40 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 41
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 41
All photography in this article provided by Events by Shideh. Image this page by Viera Photography.
Shideh Shahraies is one of the re-gion’s top luxury event planners and designers; her name has become syn-onymous with flawless, gorgeous and seamless events.
After earning a degree in business administration, Shideh worked closely with famed designer Bijan for more than 10 years, and learned and prac-ticed working with upscale clientele, where she developed outstanding mar-
keting skills, she said.
“He was a true icon and an outstand-ing mentor,” Shideh said.
She also worked at Neiman Mar-cus as a general manager, where she learned about upscale product and worked with the Who’s Who of the in-dustry, she said.
She formed Events by Shideh more than 10 years ago, after creating a
Shideh brings the sublime to you, by adding her famous touch to your event.
Designed for DestinyShideh’s Hot
Wedding Trends
1. Vintage wedding gowns2. Vintage touch in all areas3. Strong lighting & specialty
LED lighting4. Creating wedding websites
5. Photo booth rental with color backdrops
42 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 43
Aroos Featuretance in creating ex-traordinary, high-end weddings.
“We take full owner-ship, and will get fully involved with the bride and groom and their wishes,” she said.
“Our mission is to create one-of-a-kind events, and we are a true believer that your wedding day is the most important cel-ebration of your life.”
Shideh listed some of the common mis-takes couples make in the planning process as: Not booking a co-ordinator; trying to do it all themselves; over-loading their mothers on the wedding day with tasks; not start-ing their seating as-signments in a timely manner; and trying to save money on pho-tography by not select-ing the best available photographer.
“Big mistake,” Shi-deh warned.
“I think in order to achieve [the level of wedding that they want], the bride and groom have to be advised to work with great, reputable vendors. If they choose a good pho-
tographer, a good florist, a good entertainer and so forth, and do not compro-mise, they will have a very memorable event, which
will last a life time.”
Shideh said she plans to expand her wedding plan-ning role in the future.
“In order to become more of a mainstream job in large companies, the industry needs to become more wel-
beautiful wedding for her sister which was published; she soon found herself in demand, and began doing events on the side.
“Event planning and wed-ding coordinating has al-ways been my passion, and once I finally started, it has been a major success,” she said.
She cautioned couples to not underestimate the amount of work required in planning a quality event.
“Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting adventures you can un-dertake. Most of us have dreams of fairytale wed-dings, and believe in the ease of planning the wed-ding of our dreams. How-ever, with loads of other work and long hours, what many start off as a dream can quickly become a night-mare,” she said.
“But that is why we step in — to make their day smoother and more pleas-ant, with lots of attention to details. Our focus is to eliminate our couples’ stress and to provide them with the well-deserved op-portunity to relax and enjoy the planning of their special day.
“We are with our couples every step of the way. So at
every appointment, we are able to offer design ideas, pose important questions and trouble shoot where necessary. Our services
are tailored to their specific needs.”
Shideh said her design coordinating company
stands out from the com-petition by being selective with their clients and only booking those who wish to have full-service assis-
Images this page by Viera Photography. Images at left by Apertura.
42 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 43
Aroos Featuretance in creating ex-traordinary, high-end weddings.
“We take full owner-ship, and will get fully involved with the bride and groom and their wishes,” she said.
“Our mission is to create one-of-a-kind events, and we are a true believer that your wedding day is the most important cel-ebration of your life.”
Shideh listed some of the common mis-takes couples make in the planning process as: Not booking a co-ordinator; trying to do it all themselves; over-loading their mothers on the wedding day with tasks; not start-ing their seating as-signments in a timely manner; and trying to save money on pho-tography by not select-ing the best available photographer.
“Big mistake,” Shi-deh warned.
“I think in order to achieve [the level of wedding that they want], the bride and groom have to be advised to work with great, reputable vendors. If they choose a good pho-
tographer, a good florist, a good entertainer and so forth, and do not compro-mise, they will have a very memorable event, which
will last a life time.”
Shideh said she plans to expand her wedding plan-ning role in the future.
“In order to become more of a mainstream job in large companies, the industry needs to become more wel-
beautiful wedding for her sister which was published; she soon found herself in demand, and began doing events on the side.
“Event planning and wed-ding coordinating has al-ways been my passion, and once I finally started, it has been a major success,” she said.
She cautioned couples to not underestimate the amount of work required in planning a quality event.
“Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting adventures you can un-dertake. Most of us have dreams of fairytale wed-dings, and believe in the ease of planning the wed-ding of our dreams. How-ever, with loads of other work and long hours, what many start off as a dream can quickly become a night-mare,” she said.
“But that is why we step in — to make their day smoother and more pleas-ant, with lots of attention to details. Our focus is to eliminate our couples’ stress and to provide them with the well-deserved op-portunity to relax and enjoy the planning of their special day.
“We are with our couples every step of the way. So at
every appointment, we are able to offer design ideas, pose important questions and trouble shoot where necessary. Our services
are tailored to their specific needs.”
Shideh said her design coordinating company
stands out from the com-petition by being selective with their clients and only booking those who wish to have full-service assis-
Images this page by Viera Photography. Images at left by Apertura.
44 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 45
Aroos Feature
coming, and has to begin to understand the role of the wedding planner and coor-dinator,” she said.
“Brides and grooms equally also need to begin to spend time understanding how a wedding planner can help them and enhance their wedding planning ex-perience.”
Events by Shideh
310.435.9005
www.eventsbyshideh.com
Images this page by Viera Photography.
44 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 45
Aroos Feature
coming, and has to begin to understand the role of the wedding planner and coor-dinator,” she said.
“Brides and grooms equally also need to begin to spend time understanding how a wedding planner can help them and enhance their wedding planning ex-perience.”
Events by Shideh
310.435.9005
www.eventsbyshideh.com
Images this page by Viera Photography.
48 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 49
Aroos Feature
For a palatial wedding, discerning brides love the St. Regis Monarch Beach, in the prestigious Dana Point area of Orange County.
“The St. Regis Monarch Beach has an overall grand, Mediterra-nean palace feel to it,” said Allison Wisth, Catering Coordinator at the resort. “With grand architec-ture, stone and marble flooring,
continuous columns and sweep-ing ocean views, our space is very versatile as each location has a different look and feel. Choose from venues like our Grand Lawn for a spectacular wedding, or the Botanical Garden for a small intimate wedding; if indoor spaces are preferred, our opulent ball-rooms are a wonderful location as well.”
The St. Regis boasts a wide variety of ceremony and reception venues.
“The size of our property and our service level is what sets us apart from the competition,” Wisth said. “When a bride-to-be comes to SRMB they can expect nothing but the best service levels, with all of their wishes and desires
The St. Regis Monarch Beach resort gives couples a Mediterranean feel for their wedding day, on a dramatic coastline in Southern California. By Candice Yacono
A Touch of Europe in OC
from the Sunset Terrace. The loca-tion can seat approximately 900 guests.
The Sunset Terrace offers a semi-circular observation deck over-looking the Grand Lawn, pool and Pacific Ocean; Wisth recommends it as the perfect location for a cock-tail hour following the ceremony, or it can serve as a reception location for up to 300 guests.
The private, oval-shaped Pacific
accommodated to the best of our ability. We have had many bespoke requests —everything from exotic animals and horse drawn carriages to released doves. With regard to size, there are few venues as stunning as ours that can accom-modate a 900 person wedding.”
The popular Grand Lawn fea-tures pool and ocean views, and is framed by two trellised colon-nades, Wisth said; there are two sweeping staircases descending
All photography in this article provided by the St. Regis Monarch Beach.
48 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 49
Aroos Feature
For a palatial wedding, discerning brides love the St. Regis Monarch Beach, in the prestigious Dana Point area of Orange County.
“The St. Regis Monarch Beach has an overall grand, Mediterra-nean palace feel to it,” said Allison Wisth, Catering Coordinator at the resort. “With grand architec-ture, stone and marble flooring,
continuous columns and sweep-ing ocean views, our space is very versatile as each location has a different look and feel. Choose from venues like our Grand Lawn for a spectacular wedding, or the Botanical Garden for a small intimate wedding; if indoor spaces are preferred, our opulent ball-rooms are a wonderful location as well.”
The St. Regis boasts a wide variety of ceremony and reception venues.
“The size of our property and our service level is what sets us apart from the competition,” Wisth said. “When a bride-to-be comes to SRMB they can expect nothing but the best service levels, with all of their wishes and desires
The St. Regis Monarch Beach resort gives couples a Mediterranean feel for their wedding day, on a dramatic coastline in Southern California. By Candice Yacono
A Touch of Europe in OC
from the Sunset Terrace. The loca-tion can seat approximately 900 guests.
The Sunset Terrace offers a semi-circular observation deck over-looking the Grand Lawn, pool and Pacific Ocean; Wisth recommends it as the perfect location for a cock-tail hour following the ceremony, or it can serve as a reception location for up to 300 guests.
The private, oval-shaped Pacific
accommodated to the best of our ability. We have had many bespoke requests —everything from exotic animals and horse drawn carriages to released doves. With regard to size, there are few venues as stunning as ours that can accom-modate a 900 person wedding.”
The popular Grand Lawn fea-tures pool and ocean views, and is framed by two trellised colon-nades, Wisth said; there are two sweeping staircases descending
All photography in this article provided by the St. Regis Monarch Beach.
50 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 51
Aroos Feature
Lawn offers a trellised gazebo, rose bushes and jacaranda trees; it is accessed via two semi-circular staircases from the Ballroom Rotunda featuring a wrought iron Juliet-style balcony. It can seat approximately 500 guests.
Alternately, the intimate Medi-terranean-style Botanical Garden offers sweeping ocean and golf course views, with a romantic Roman white marble gazebo as its centerpiece. It can accommodate approximately 100 guests. The adjacent Botanical Lawn overlooks the golf links and offers seating for approximately 400 guests.
Indoors, the grand 12,000-square-foot Pacific
Ballroom features monumental coffered ceilings, bronze chande-liers and frescoed pastoral scenes. Guests enter via a corridor of mirrors reminiscent of Versailles, and down a sweeping grand staircase in the Ballroom Rotunda. This exquisite ballroom can ac-commodate up to 800 guests. The 5,800-square-foot Monarch Ballroom, decorated in soft greens and golds, allows for seating of up to 300 guests.
For a themed intimate venue, Club 19 showcases a beautiful outdoor terrace with views of the Monarch Beach Golf Links and the Pacific Ocean, combined with an intimate indoor area with fireplace, perfect for dancing and entertainment fol-
lowing dinner; it can hold up to 120 for dinner and dancing.
More intimate options include the private dining room at Motif, the Mediterranean Ballroom, the Wine Cellar, Wine Terrace, and private dining room at Stonehill Tavern.
Inclusions in the St. Regis wed-ding packages include a com-plimentary guest room for the couple on their wedding night for weddings with a minimum of 30 guests; blocks of rooms with guest pricing; a complimentary menu tasting; a wooden dance floor, staging and votive candles; floor-length Italian Filidoro lin-ens; personalized event menus; day-of support from the executive meeting specialist; reduced valet
parking rates; a spa discount; and a potential private beach area for photos. Ceremony venues include white wooden folding chairs; a sound system; water station; and market umbrellas.
The resort’s executive chef, Frederic Castan, has more than 30 years of experience as a chef in both France and the United States. A native of Avignon, Castan was trained in Marseilles and has served as the executive chef at some of California’s finest resorts.
The resort does not allow outside careering, but offers an extensive five-star in house culinary team,
including pastry, that can answer just about every request.
“We are thrilled to customize any menu to meet your bridal needs,” Wisth said.
The St. Regis
Monarch Beach
949.234.3402
www.stregismb.com
50 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 51
Aroos Feature
Lawn offers a trellised gazebo, rose bushes and jacaranda trees; it is accessed via two semi-circular staircases from the Ballroom Rotunda featuring a wrought iron Juliet-style balcony. It can seat approximately 500 guests.
Alternately, the intimate Medi-terranean-style Botanical Garden offers sweeping ocean and golf course views, with a romantic Roman white marble gazebo as its centerpiece. It can accommodate approximately 100 guests. The adjacent Botanical Lawn overlooks the golf links and offers seating for approximately 400 guests.
Indoors, the grand 12,000-square-foot Pacific
Ballroom features monumental coffered ceilings, bronze chande-liers and frescoed pastoral scenes. Guests enter via a corridor of mirrors reminiscent of Versailles, and down a sweeping grand staircase in the Ballroom Rotunda. This exquisite ballroom can ac-commodate up to 800 guests. The 5,800-square-foot Monarch Ballroom, decorated in soft greens and golds, allows for seating of up to 300 guests.
For a themed intimate venue, Club 19 showcases a beautiful outdoor terrace with views of the Monarch Beach Golf Links and the Pacific Ocean, combined with an intimate indoor area with fireplace, perfect for dancing and entertainment fol-
lowing dinner; it can hold up to 120 for dinner and dancing.
More intimate options include the private dining room at Motif, the Mediterranean Ballroom, the Wine Cellar, Wine Terrace, and private dining room at Stonehill Tavern.
Inclusions in the St. Regis wed-ding packages include a com-plimentary guest room for the couple on their wedding night for weddings with a minimum of 30 guests; blocks of rooms with guest pricing; a complimentary menu tasting; a wooden dance floor, staging and votive candles; floor-length Italian Filidoro lin-ens; personalized event menus; day-of support from the executive meeting specialist; reduced valet
parking rates; a spa discount; and a potential private beach area for photos. Ceremony venues include white wooden folding chairs; a sound system; water station; and market umbrellas.
The resort’s executive chef, Frederic Castan, has more than 30 years of experience as a chef in both France and the United States. A native of Avignon, Castan was trained in Marseilles and has served as the executive chef at some of California’s finest resorts.
The resort does not allow outside careering, but offers an extensive five-star in house culinary team,
including pastry, that can answer just about every request.
“We are thrilled to customize any menu to meet your bridal needs,” Wisth said.
The St. Regis
Monarch Beach
949.234.3402
www.stregismb.com
Afsaneh Sargordian
Let The Beauty Of What You Love Be What You Do - RumiSimply The Best714.457.2484 AFSANEHSARGORDIAN.COM
Sofreh Aghd
Afsaneh Sargordian
Let The Beauty Of What You Love Be What You Do - RumiSimply The Best714.457.2484 AFSANEHSARGORDIAN.COM
Sofreh Aghd
Phot
os B
y: E
mad
& R
ober
t( L
A C
olor
stu
dio)
54 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 55
Aroos Feature
To call Arsine Shirvanian a designer would be an understatement.
The wedding designer lives and breathes inspiration; she finds it in all as-pects of her life.
Shirvanian got her start 17 years ago; after earning a degree in psychology, she wasn’t happy with the direction her life was going. Design was both her passion and her hobby; she started working on par-ties here and there for family.
“Before I knew it, I was designing events and doing florals, and over the years re-
ally my company took shape,” she said. “I realized that even though I love florals, my passion is truly producing events, so it’s evolved into designing all aspects of an event.
“The thing that truly gives me a lot of joy is capturing the client’s vision and taking it to a level that surpasses their expecta-tions by far. The moment that they walk in and see what you have done, which is beyond their imagination — they’re just blown away. And that’s the moment that you wait for.”
Shirvanian said she is open to talking with couples of all budget ranges.
“We’re one of the very few, rare, high end companies that really work with any reasonable budget, and a wedding is never too small and never too big,” she said. “My philosophy on that is that every client, whether they’re huge-budget or small-budget, deserves to get something beau-tiful that’s in their budget. I’m very, very open to that.”
Shirvanian also said her scope of ser-vices can be as wide as needed.
Aroos is proud to present a profile of legendary designer Arsine Shirvanian, who is known for offering the latest in dramatic decor based on a variety of inspirations.
An Eye for AestheticsAll photography in this article is courtesy Shirvan Design.
Phot
os B
y: E
mad
& R
ober
t( L
A C
olor
stu
dio)
54 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 55
Aroos Feature
To call Arsine Shirvanian a designer would be an understatement.
The wedding designer lives and breathes inspiration; she finds it in all as-pects of her life.
Shirvanian got her start 17 years ago; after earning a degree in psychology, she wasn’t happy with the direction her life was going. Design was both her passion and her hobby; she started working on par-ties here and there for family.
“Before I knew it, I was designing events and doing florals, and over the years re-
ally my company took shape,” she said. “I realized that even though I love florals, my passion is truly producing events, so it’s evolved into designing all aspects of an event.
“The thing that truly gives me a lot of joy is capturing the client’s vision and taking it to a level that surpasses their expecta-tions by far. The moment that they walk in and see what you have done, which is beyond their imagination — they’re just blown away. And that’s the moment that you wait for.”
Shirvanian said she is open to talking with couples of all budget ranges.
“We’re one of the very few, rare, high end companies that really work with any reasonable budget, and a wedding is never too small and never too big,” she said. “My philosophy on that is that every client, whether they’re huge-budget or small-budget, deserves to get something beau-tiful that’s in their budget. I’m very, very open to that.”
Shirvanian also said her scope of ser-vices can be as wide as needed.
Aroos is proud to present a profile of legendary designer Arsine Shirvanian, who is known for offering the latest in dramatic decor based on a variety of inspirations.
An Eye for AestheticsAll photography in this article is courtesy Shirvan Design.
56 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 57
Aroos Feature
“Our forte is floral; we definitely provide floral from A to Z,” she said. “But the thing that sets the company aside and makes it special is that we can completely design and produce an event from A to Z. Some-times we even bring in the entertainment; for some of the corporate events we do, the whole thing is on us. Like every year we do a themed Christmas party; that’s our special-ty, to be able to take on the design aspects of the whole event. We always work with the best to really produce the most awesome events.”
Shirvanian said weddings are some of her favorite events because of the relation-ships that develop.
“Weddings are memorable because you really bond with the bride and the parents,” she said. “You put so much effort and love and time into creating this fabulous ambi-ence. As far as memorable designs, I’ve done a couple of bar mitzvahs that have just been out of this world. Last August we had this amazing, whimsical, fairyland wed-
ding. I truly enjoy working with so many of my clients that it’s really hard to pinpoint one. It’s awesome to work with them.”
Shirvanian said she doesn’t like to “toot her own horn” but with respect to standing out from the competition.
“There are a lot of florists out there, but the thing that really sets us aside is my knack for paying attention to de-tails, with much, much attention given to uniqueness and eccentricity,” she said. “On top of that, as you know, most designers in my field are men — and being a woman designer, I bring a special softness; a very feminine, sensuous softness. That is how I am as a person as well, so it comes across in my work.
“Otherwise, I hear people say I’m sweet; not a diva; I don’t take on my own personal ‘thing’ and run with it. They say, ‘You are attentive.’ ‘You are courteous.’ ‘You are kind.’ I don’t know how many voicemails I’ve saved, of compliments people have given me.”
Shirvanian sees Shirvan Design as be-ing a trendsetter in the design world; she has been featured several times in Grace Ormonde, the best of the best in the bridal world, she says.
“When setting my trends, I don’t really follow this person or that person,” she said. “I do follow real-life trends; I follow the fash-ion colors. I kid you not; the first thing I do in January is go to what the color of the year is, on the Paris runways. I travel a lot, and through my travels, I am inspired by what I see in real life. There are so many examples I can draw from. I’ve cascaded florals because I wanted to communicate the cascading fireworks I saw in front of the Sydney Opera House. I’ve captured the grassland of Africa in my arrangements. I’m inspired by nature, architectural façade, by fashion. And that sets my design apart from other people.
“If you look at my last design in Grace Ormonde, the bubbles everywhere, I was capturing a bouquet of yellow balloons
that I had seen rising into the sky this summer at the beach. It was just amazing. I came back from that va-cation and went high and low to find those bubbles.”
Shirvanian suggested that brides on a budget focus on being sensible and realistic, and to capture the style they want without necessarily focus-ing on volume.
“Anytime you go for volume it gets to be costly, so you can use fabulous armatures and really great tricks and
reduce the volume but keep the style going,” she said.
“Instead of putting everything ev-erywhere, but not making it look like anything, it’s better to really deco-rate the focal point and make it look ‘wow.’”
Shirvan Designs offers two LA-area offices to accommodate clients. They offer flexible, appointment-based hours; for more information, call (310) 246-4446 or (818) 845-0488, or visit shirvandesign.com.
56 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 57
Aroos Feature
“Our forte is floral; we definitely provide floral from A to Z,” she said. “But the thing that sets the company aside and makes it special is that we can completely design and produce an event from A to Z. Some-times we even bring in the entertainment; for some of the corporate events we do, the whole thing is on us. Like every year we do a themed Christmas party; that’s our special-ty, to be able to take on the design aspects of the whole event. We always work with the best to really produce the most awesome events.”
Shirvanian said weddings are some of her favorite events because of the relation-ships that develop.
“Weddings are memorable because you really bond with the bride and the parents,” she said. “You put so much effort and love and time into creating this fabulous ambi-ence. As far as memorable designs, I’ve done a couple of bar mitzvahs that have just been out of this world. Last August we had this amazing, whimsical, fairyland wed-
ding. I truly enjoy working with so many of my clients that it’s really hard to pinpoint one. It’s awesome to work with them.”
Shirvanian said she doesn’t like to “toot her own horn” but with respect to standing out from the competition.
“There are a lot of florists out there, but the thing that really sets us aside is my knack for paying attention to de-tails, with much, much attention given to uniqueness and eccentricity,” she said. “On top of that, as you know, most designers in my field are men — and being a woman designer, I bring a special softness; a very feminine, sensuous softness. That is how I am as a person as well, so it comes across in my work.
“Otherwise, I hear people say I’m sweet; not a diva; I don’t take on my own personal ‘thing’ and run with it. They say, ‘You are attentive.’ ‘You are courteous.’ ‘You are kind.’ I don’t know how many voicemails I’ve saved, of compliments people have given me.”
Shirvanian sees Shirvan Design as be-ing a trendsetter in the design world; she has been featured several times in Grace Ormonde, the best of the best in the bridal world, she says.
“When setting my trends, I don’t really follow this person or that person,” she said. “I do follow real-life trends; I follow the fash-ion colors. I kid you not; the first thing I do in January is go to what the color of the year is, on the Paris runways. I travel a lot, and through my travels, I am inspired by what I see in real life. There are so many examples I can draw from. I’ve cascaded florals because I wanted to communicate the cascading fireworks I saw in front of the Sydney Opera House. I’ve captured the grassland of Africa in my arrangements. I’m inspired by nature, architectural façade, by fashion. And that sets my design apart from other people.
“If you look at my last design in Grace Ormonde, the bubbles everywhere, I was capturing a bouquet of yellow balloons
that I had seen rising into the sky this summer at the beach. It was just amazing. I came back from that va-cation and went high and low to find those bubbles.”
Shirvanian suggested that brides on a budget focus on being sensible and realistic, and to capture the style they want without necessarily focus-ing on volume.
“Anytime you go for volume it gets to be costly, so you can use fabulous armatures and really great tricks and
reduce the volume but keep the style going,” she said.
“Instead of putting everything ev-erywhere, but not making it look like anything, it’s better to really deco-rate the focal point and make it look ‘wow.’”
Shirvan Designs offers two LA-area offices to accommodate clients. They offer flexible, appointment-based hours; for more information, call (310) 246-4446 or (818) 845-0488, or visit shirvandesign.com.
60 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 61
Aroos Feature
Weddin
g Repo
rtS�na� & Alire z�
i iAugust 13, 2011
The couple: Sanaz Tousi & Alireza Mirsepassi
The location: The Island Hotel, Newport Beach
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was taupe and champagne, because these colors can create a sublime look incorporating formality, elegance and vintage style. Moreover, the bride loved large centerpieces with roses, orchids, crystals, and candles. The florist was Melanie Rauscher of Bella Blooms. The bride’s ensemble: Her dress was from Mon Amie Bridal; her hair and makeup were by Yasie Parsa of La Mirage. The groom’s ensemble: His tuxedo was by Hugo Boss. The invitations: Handmade and designed by the bride, the invitations featured luscious ivory lace, tied together with soft champagne and gold satin ribbon on top on gold shimmer cards and finished with a dazzling crystal at the center. The lighting and rentals: By Persiano Events and Rentals. The cater-ing: Joseph Besharati provided food, fruit and dessert. The cake: The four-tier cake by Creative Cake was embellished with Swarovski crystals and roses and draped with fondant. The entertainment: Farzam Fattahi was the violinist for the ceremony and cocktail room. DJ Taraneh performed at the reception. The transportation: A Rolls Royce was provided by Classic Limos. The honeymoon: Miami. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: The bride’s ring was by Goharbin. The groom’s ring was by Cartier. The favors: A handmade design on the Quran by the bride. The officiant: Golnar Djahanbani. The sofreh: The sofreh was designed amazingly by Taraneh Ajdar. From the couple: We want to thank everyone that made our fairy tale dream wed-
ding come into reality. -- As told by Sanaz & Alireza.
60 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 61
Aroos Feature
Weddin
g Repo
rt
S�na� & Alire z�i i
August 13, 2011
The couple: Sanaz Tousi & Alireza Mirsepassi
The location: The Island Hotel, Newport Beach
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was taupe and champagne, because these colors can create a sublime look incorporating formality, elegance and vintage style. Moreover, the bride loved large centerpieces with roses, orchids, crystals, and candles. The florist was Melanie Rauscher of Bella Blooms. The bride’s ensemble: Her dress was from Mon Amie Bridal; her hair and makeup were by Yasie Parsa of La Mirage. The groom’s ensemble: His tuxedo was by Hugo Boss. The invitations: Handmade and designed by the bride, the invitations featured luscious ivory lace, tied together with soft champagne and gold satin ribbon on top on gold shimmer cards and finished with a dazzling crystal at the center. The lighting and rentals: By Persiano Events and Rentals. The cater-ing: Joseph Besharati provided food, fruit and dessert. The cake: The four-tier cake by Creative Cake was embellished with Swarovski crystals and roses and draped with fondant. The entertainment: Farzam Fattahi was the violinist for the ceremony and cocktail room. DJ Taraneh performed at the reception. The transportation: A Rolls Royce was provided by Classic Limos. The honeymoon: Miami. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: The bride’s ring was by Goharbin. The groom’s ring was by Cartier. The favors: A handmade design on the Quran by the bride. The officiant: Golnar Djahanbani. The sofreh: The sofreh was designed amazingly by Taraneh Ajdar. From the couple: We want to thank everyone that made our fairy tale dream wed-
ding come into reality. -- As told by Sanaz & Alireza.
62 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Add a special touch of elegance and passion to your wedding with the sound and sight of live
VIOLIN
Performed by
Alireza & PouryaKhademi
All musical stylesCustomized song selection
State of the art sound equipmentOther instruments and singers available
(949) 689-8866 MYVIOLIN.ORG
Alireza & PouryaKhademi
Add a special touch of elegance and passion to your wedding with the sound and sight of live
VIOLIN
Performed by
Alireza & PouryaKhademi
All musical stylesCustomized song selection
State of the art sound equipmentOther instruments and singers available
(949) 689-8866 MYVIOLIN.ORG
Alireza & PouryaKhademi
66 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Couples seeking a contemporary feel for their wedding should put the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills at the top of their list. We interviewed Catering Di-rector George Nickles to learn more.
Aroos Magazine: What is the overall
“mood” or look of your venue?
George Nickles: The hotel was reno-vated and opened in 2008 as the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. The design is by Philippe Stark.
The feel is a modern and playful ver-sion of a luxury environment SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills embodies a sleek and
sophisticated, yet playful and vibrant mood within the Philippe Starck de-signed luxury environment.
AM: What are your current meeting space capacities and options for wed-ding ceremonies and receptions?
GN: We can accommodate up to 250 guests for the ceremony and dinner with dancing.
With that being said, SLS has a vari-ety of eclectic and intimate spaces as well to accommodate the smallest of wedding parties as well.
AM: What inclusions come with your wedding package (services, rentals, etc.)?
GN: We customize our packages to offer what the couple is really looking for. We offer a Studio Suite complimentary when reserving the SLS Hotel as the location for their wedding recep-tion. Our Culinary Director is celebrated Chef José Andrés, who has recently won the 2011 James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef. The Food & Beverage program at SLS Hotel is con-sidered to be among the best in Los Angeles.
AM: How do you stand out from the competi-tion?
GN: SLS symbolizes Style, Luxury, Service. With the Philippe Starck design, José Andrés cuisine and the SLS service, we set ourselves apart from the competition. Philippe Starck has taken the design well beyond the notion of in-terior design into works of art, rethinking every possible convention of design, dining and so-cializing to bring hospitality to an entirely new level. With a James Beard Award Winning Chef, José Andrés’ culinary direction reaches new heights with his unique approach to and inno-vative cooking styles.
AM: Do you have signature dishes or bever-ages, or other notable menu offerings?
GN: Jose Andres is well known for decon-structing everyday cuisine to have more of a culinary impact on the guests. A couple of the delectable treats are our Cotton Candy Cart and the Liquid Nitrogen Cart. The Cotton Candy Cart pairs Foie Gras, which we spin vanilla scented cotton candy around, and serve on a stick. With the liquid nitrogen cart, we make fresh Capir-inhas and Blood Orange Screwdrivers, using the liquid nitrogen to freeze the cocktails into a sorbet. Both of these are delicious, but also entertaining to watch.
If your thoughts run more toward contemporary decor than marble cherubs, consider the sublimely modern SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. By Candice Yacono.
For A Modern BrideAll photography in this article is courtesy SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. Image at top by Jasmine Star Photography.
66 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 67
Aroos Feature
Couples seeking a contemporary feel for their wedding should put the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills at the top of their list. We interviewed Catering Di-rector George Nickles to learn more.
Aroos Magazine: What is the overall
“mood” or look of your venue?
George Nickles: The hotel was reno-vated and opened in 2008 as the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. The design is by Philippe Stark.
The feel is a modern and playful ver-sion of a luxury environment SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills embodies a sleek and
sophisticated, yet playful and vibrant mood within the Philippe Starck de-signed luxury environment.
AM: What are your current meeting space capacities and options for wed-ding ceremonies and receptions?
GN: We can accommodate up to 250 guests for the ceremony and dinner with dancing.
With that being said, SLS has a vari-ety of eclectic and intimate spaces as well to accommodate the smallest of wedding parties as well.
AM: What inclusions come with your wedding package (services, rentals, etc.)?
GN: We customize our packages to offer what the couple is really looking for. We offer a Studio Suite complimentary when reserving the SLS Hotel as the location for their wedding recep-tion. Our Culinary Director is celebrated Chef José Andrés, who has recently won the 2011 James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef. The Food & Beverage program at SLS Hotel is con-sidered to be among the best in Los Angeles.
AM: How do you stand out from the competi-tion?
GN: SLS symbolizes Style, Luxury, Service. With the Philippe Starck design, José Andrés cuisine and the SLS service, we set ourselves apart from the competition. Philippe Starck has taken the design well beyond the notion of in-terior design into works of art, rethinking every possible convention of design, dining and so-cializing to bring hospitality to an entirely new level. With a James Beard Award Winning Chef, José Andrés’ culinary direction reaches new heights with his unique approach to and inno-vative cooking styles.
AM: Do you have signature dishes or bever-ages, or other notable menu offerings?
GN: Jose Andres is well known for decon-structing everyday cuisine to have more of a culinary impact on the guests. A couple of the delectable treats are our Cotton Candy Cart and the Liquid Nitrogen Cart. The Cotton Candy Cart pairs Foie Gras, which we spin vanilla scented cotton candy around, and serve on a stick. With the liquid nitrogen cart, we make fresh Capir-inhas and Blood Orange Screwdrivers, using the liquid nitrogen to freeze the cocktails into a sorbet. Both of these are delicious, but also entertaining to watch.
If your thoughts run more toward contemporary decor than marble cherubs, consider the sublimely modern SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. By Candice Yacono.
For A Modern BrideAll photography in this article is courtesy SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. Image at top by Jasmine Star Photography.
68 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Feature
AM: What is your policy with work-ing with outside caterers, particularly Persian caterers?
GN: We do allow Persian and Kosher Caterers to come in to prepare the food. We do not have a list, but we like to meet with the Caterer that the cou-ple would like to use and can approve the use of that caterer at that time as it is important that the quality is up to
the SLS Hotel’s luxury standards.
AM: Do you have any special wed-ding or honeymoon promotions right now?
GN: We have recently partnered with our sister hotel the St. Regis Princeville Resort in Hawaii for Honey-moons.
We offer a $1,000.00 credit at the
St. Regis Princeville Resort when booking a wedding at the SLS Hotel. Special restrictions apply.
AM: Do you have any future plans you would like to share?
GN: The SLS Hotel will be opening in South Beach Miami in April of 2012, and future plans are in the works for an SLS Hotel in Las Vegas as well!
“Philippe Starck has taken the design well beyond the notion of interior design into works of art, rethinking every possible convention of design, dining and socializing to bring
hospitality to an entirely new level.”
68 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Feature
AM: What is your policy with work-ing with outside caterers, particularly Persian caterers?
GN: We do allow Persian and Kosher Caterers to come in to prepare the food. We do not have a list, but we like to meet with the Caterer that the cou-ple would like to use and can approve the use of that caterer at that time as it is important that the quality is up to
the SLS Hotel’s luxury standards.
AM: Do you have any special wed-ding or honeymoon promotions right now?
GN: We have recently partnered with our sister hotel the St. Regis Princeville Resort in Hawaii for Honey-moons.
We offer a $1,000.00 credit at the
St. Regis Princeville Resort when booking a wedding at the SLS Hotel. Special restrictions apply.
AM: Do you have any future plans you would like to share?
GN: The SLS Hotel will be opening in South Beach Miami in April of 2012, and future plans are in the works for an SLS Hotel in Las Vegas as well!
“Philippe Starck has taken the design well beyond the notion of interior design into works of art, rethinking every possible convention of design, dining and socializing to bring
hospitality to an entirely new level.”
72 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 73
Aroos Feature
90210 Entertainment Group, which is based in heart of Santa Monica, Cali-fornia, is the premier and single source for the entertainment segment of your event.
With over 18 years of experience, state-of-the-art equipment, and the latest innovations in music, sound, lighting, and production, your guests will be entranced by our diverse selec-tion of fun, energetic, romantic, and elegant bands.
Our experienced management team will brainstorm the endless pos-sibilities with you as well as walk you through the planning every single step
leading up to your event. In addition, our professional production manage-ment and crew will work out all details with the venue and supervise the final touch ups on the day of.
With such a vast array of options and diverse services there is no limit to any type of event that can be managed. That being said, let’s explore the 90210 Entertainment Group products:
ROUGE: Our largest and most popular band, Rouge, is a 13-piece (up to 20) band comprised from a roster of over 20 musicians from all over the world. Performing musical choices including
popular Top 40’s American, Persian, Israeli, Arabic, Latin, French, and Italian music, Rouge takes professional, clas-sically trained musicians and has them play a wide mixture of instruments from various cultures to create a fresh approach to music.
LUX: For more of a young, energetic feel and standard size band concept we have LUX; an 8-piece (up to 10) band that plays the most popular pres-ent and past hits in Persian, American, Israeli, Arabic, Latin and world music. This band keeps the dance floor alive all night long. Lux is well affordable
quality band for medium size events.
LOUNGE: We then have Lounge, which is an easy-listening band perfect for smaller settings that will take you to a plush and lav-ish atmosphere with songs from legends such as Sade, Sting, Dari-ush, Googoosh, etc., as well as different classic Italian, French, and Latin hits.
MONTEGO: If you’re looking for an exotic, and sultry flamenco-themed evening, let Montego’s Gypsy Boys spice up your eve-
ning. A perfect package for cock-tail hour to set the tone or couple that with one of the DJ packages and you have a super interna-tional recipe.
GROOVE: A very unique recipe of DJ-based band; Groove is DJ combined with live instruments giving you the live band feeling with original tracks. Our expe-rienced resident DJs can bring you a club atmosphere as well as much more upscale classy taste.
BEATS: Similarly, Beats brings you a DJ, however they are ac-
If you need entertainment of any variety for your special event, trust 90210 Entertainment Group to handle all your needs.
Something for EverybodyAll photography in this article is courtesy 90210 Entertainment Group.
72 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 73
Aroos Feature
90210 Entertainment Group, which is based in heart of Santa Monica, Cali-fornia, is the premier and single source for the entertainment segment of your event.
With over 18 years of experience, state-of-the-art equipment, and the latest innovations in music, sound, lighting, and production, your guests will be entranced by our diverse selec-tion of fun, energetic, romantic, and elegant bands.
Our experienced management team will brainstorm the endless pos-sibilities with you as well as walk you through the planning every single step
leading up to your event. In addition, our professional production manage-ment and crew will work out all details with the venue and supervise the final touch ups on the day of.
With such a vast array of options and diverse services there is no limit to any type of event that can be managed. That being said, let’s explore the 90210 Entertainment Group products:
ROUGE: Our largest and most popular band, Rouge, is a 13-piece (up to 20) band comprised from a roster of over 20 musicians from all over the world. Performing musical choices including
popular Top 40’s American, Persian, Israeli, Arabic, Latin, French, and Italian music, Rouge takes professional, clas-sically trained musicians and has them play a wide mixture of instruments from various cultures to create a fresh approach to music.
LUX: For more of a young, energetic feel and standard size band concept we have LUX; an 8-piece (up to 10) band that plays the most popular pres-ent and past hits in Persian, American, Israeli, Arabic, Latin and world music. This band keeps the dance floor alive all night long. Lux is well affordable
quality band for medium size events.
LOUNGE: We then have Lounge, which is an easy-listening band perfect for smaller settings that will take you to a plush and lav-ish atmosphere with songs from legends such as Sade, Sting, Dari-ush, Googoosh, etc., as well as different classic Italian, French, and Latin hits.
MONTEGO: If you’re looking for an exotic, and sultry flamenco-themed evening, let Montego’s Gypsy Boys spice up your eve-
ning. A perfect package for cock-tail hour to set the tone or couple that with one of the DJ packages and you have a super interna-tional recipe.
GROOVE: A very unique recipe of DJ-based band; Groove is DJ combined with live instruments giving you the live band feeling with original tracks. Our expe-rienced resident DJs can bring you a club atmosphere as well as much more upscale classy taste.
BEATS: Similarly, Beats brings you a DJ, however they are ac-
If you need entertainment of any variety for your special event, trust 90210 Entertainment Group to handle all your needs.
Something for EverybodyAll photography in this article is courtesy 90210 Entertainment Group.
74 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 75
Aroos Featurecompanied with a modified live band, giving an upbeat and fresh alternative to the traditional DJ setting as the perfect package for the party lover.
PULSE: Our smallest DJ base band that is combined of DJ, per-cussionist, and saxophonist. An affordable, perfect quality trio band for small to medium size events.
PRO SOUND & LIGHTING: Also available in our roster is Pro Sound & Lighting. Lighting pro-vided by the 90210 Entertain-ment group always gives you the deepest colors to create contrast and ambiance on and off stage. We keep our lighting dynamic, but still are always sensitive and attentive to how much light is just right for your event. Sound quality is priority, which is why 90210 Entertainment Group car-ries only the top quality brands, from JBL and QSC and only carries top of the line state-of-the-art systems. Production can range anywhere from simple staging to a full concert-series setup and we can literally bring the club or concert concept right into your own event. Just to cap things up make sure to ask for our unique ALL WHITE stage, which includes white audio and instruments.
Bring us a sketch, a vision, a dream and 90210 Entertainment Group will craft it and make it a re-ality! With us, the sky is the limit!
90210ent.com
74 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 75
Aroos Featurecompanied with a modified live band, giving an upbeat and fresh alternative to the traditional DJ setting as the perfect package for the party lover.
PULSE: Our smallest DJ base band that is combined of DJ, per-cussionist, and saxophonist. An affordable, perfect quality trio band for small to medium size events.
PRO SOUND & LIGHTING: Also available in our roster is Pro Sound & Lighting. Lighting pro-vided by the 90210 Entertain-ment group always gives you the deepest colors to create contrast and ambiance on and off stage. We keep our lighting dynamic, but still are always sensitive and attentive to how much light is just right for your event. Sound quality is priority, which is why 90210 Entertainment Group car-ries only the top quality brands, from JBL and QSC and only carries top of the line state-of-the-art systems. Production can range anywhere from simple staging to a full concert-series setup and we can literally bring the club or concert concept right into your own event. Just to cap things up make sure to ask for our unique ALL WHITE stage, which includes white audio and instruments.
Bring us a sketch, a vision, a dream and 90210 Entertainment Group will craft it and make it a re-ality! With us, the sky is the limit!
90210ent.com
76 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Feature
September 3, 2011
The couple: Neda Yazdani & Paymon Khaksar
The location: The Hilton Hotel in Columbus, Ohio
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was gold and ivory. It was done by Elegant Touch. The
bride’s ensemble: The bride’s dress and shoes were by David’s Bridal. Her hair and makeup was done
by Charles Penson. The groom’s ensemble: His suit was by Armani Tuxedo. The coordinator: Karen
Barwich. The lighting and rentals: The special lighting effects for the stage and around the ballroom were
done by Brian through Elegant Touch. The catering: By the Hilton. The cake: Nanak Persian Pastry
made a five-tier cake with gold and ivory flowers. The entertainment: Omid and his live band plus DJ
Sultan. The transportation: A Rolls Royce by Luxury Auto in Columbus. The honeymoon: A tour of
Europe. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: Designed by the bride and
groom’s parents. The officiant: Jamal. The sofreh: The sofreh was designed by Zahra Moazampour,
Elham Khaksar and Hedieh Araghi. – As told by Paymon.
N�d� & P��monWe
dding R
eport
i i
76 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 77
Aroos Feature
September 3, 2011
The couple: Neda Yazdani & Paymon Khaksar
The location: The Hilton Hotel in Columbus, Ohio
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was gold and ivory. It was done by Elegant Touch. The
bride’s ensemble: The bride’s dress and shoes were by David’s Bridal. Her hair and makeup was done
by Charles Penson. The groom’s ensemble: His suit was by Armani Tuxedo. The coordinator: Karen
Barwich. The lighting and rentals: The special lighting effects for the stage and around the ballroom were
done by Brian through Elegant Touch. The catering: By the Hilton. The cake: Nanak Persian Pastry
made a five-tier cake with gold and ivory flowers. The entertainment: Omid and his live band plus DJ
Sultan. The transportation: A Rolls Royce by Luxury Auto in Columbus. The honeymoon: A tour of
Europe. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: Designed by the bride and
groom’s parents. The officiant: Jamal. The sofreh: The sofreh was designed by Zahra Moazampour,
Elham Khaksar and Hedieh Araghi. – As told by Paymon.
N�d� & P��mon
Weddin
g Repo
rt
i i
78 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Magazine: What’s the history of your company?
Leanna Henry: In January of 2004 what
started out as a “fun” idea quickly grew into a
small business! We worked together in mort-
gage and sat next to each other in the office.
After a trip to the LA flower district, we were
inspired and decided to start our own flower
business. We knew nothing about starting a
business and started research on how to get
a seller’s permit, DBA, etc. — we also had no
floral design experience.
Both of us have a natural creative design
talent and we poured that passion into our
flower arrangements. Valentine’s Day 2004,
we put together a “sample” book and passed
it around our office. We were overwhelmed
with 33 orders and pulled and stayed up all
night to buy, make and deliver the arrange-
ments to our co-workers the next day. That
year we booked three weddings that were
either friends or friends of friends.
By 2005, we booked 25 weddings, and
each year as our business continued on, we
booked more and more, ultimately setting an
average of 125 events or weddings a year.
Got florals? Aroos interviews Leanna Henry, co-owner of Bella Blooms, about the skyrocketing popularity of her company. By Candice Yacono
A Blooming BusinessAll photography in this article is courtesy Bella Blooms.
86 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Feature
Aroos Magazine: What’s the history of your company?
Leanna Henry: In January of 2004 what
started out as a “fun” idea quickly grew into a
small business! We worked together in mort-
gage and sat next to each other in the office.
After a trip to the LA flower district, we were
inspired and decided to start our own flower
business. We knew nothing about starting a
business and started research on how to get
a seller’s permit, DBA, etc. — we also had no
floral design experience.
Both of us have a natural creative design
talent and we poured that passion into our
flower arrangements. Valentine’s Day 2004,
we put together a “sample” book and passed
it around our office. We were overwhelmed
with 33 orders and pulled and stayed up all
night to buy, make and deliver the arrange-
ments to our co-workers the next day. That
year we booked three weddings that were
either friends or friends of friends.
By 2005, we booked 25 weddings, and
each year as our business continued on, we
booked more and more, ultimately setting an
average of 125 events or weddings a year.
Got florals? Aroos interviews Leanna Henry, co-owner of Bella Blooms, about the skyrocketing popularity of her company. By Candice Yacono
A Blooming BusinessAll photography in this article is courtesy Bella Blooms.
88 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 89
Aroos Feature
We worked in Melanie’s tiny one car garage
and moved on to a two car garage and bought
a small cooler. In 2007 we were faced with
a big push to get a studio and with nervous
excitement, we leased our first studio in Ana-
heim. Our business tripled that following year
and we have never regretted that leap of faith
jump!
AM: What made you personally want to go into the floral design business?
LH: We both shared this intense desire to
work for ourselves, and not only that but to
work for ourselves doing something that we
truly enjoyed! There is something so fulfilling
about putting together colors and different
styles of flowers that it satisfies our souls.
Whether it’s creating a vision for someone’s
event or bringing to life a bride’s idea, the ex-
citement and fulfillment is always there!
AM: Do you work with all budgets, or do you specialize in high-end events?
LH: We pride ourselves with working with
all budgets, big and small. Of course, we love
the high-end events too but we welcome all
types of clients!
AM: What’s your personal design aes-thetic?
LH: Our personal design aesthetic is to
use actual flowers and not fluff with greenery
or foliage. We feel that if the client wants a
certain look to their flowers, we try to direct
them to the choices that would give them the
most bang for their buck so they do not have
to fill it in with greens.
AM: What are some of your favorite flow-ers and arrangement ideas?
LH: Some of our favorite flowers are the
“unexpected” ones. We love to incorporate
flowers that have texture, such as the pin
cushion, coxcomb, lotus pods, kale, artichoke
and billy balls. Bold colors with textured flow-
ers always makes for an amazing arrange-
ment! The Gloriosa Lilies and the large purple
vanda orchids are just a taste of some of the
flowers that we get excited about using!
AM: What are some of the big trends in wedding florals right now?
LH: Trends to us mainly come in the form
of color palettes. This year, slate gray is the
color of choice for a lot of brides, accented
with yellow or white. Also, we have seen a big
trend with brides mixing in succulents, which
make for some unique bouts, bouquets and
centerpieces!
AM: Could you describe what services you provide, in addition to just creating the ar-rangements?
LH: Our services extend to rentals. We
have a pretty substantial inventory and are
able to offer in house vases/branch rentals.
We also have chuppahs and canopies avail-
able for rent with different fabric choices.
AM: What was one of your most memo-rable weddings/designs, and what made it special?
LH: One of the most memorable wed-
dings we did was our first big budget
wedding in 2007. We had only been in
our studio a short while and booked this
bride whose wedding was in 2 weeks. She
wanted 50 centerpieces (all tall) and an
aisle way lined with Manzanita trees with
draping crystals. This event was a true tes-
tament to what we were capable of pulling
together in such a little time frame. It was
a labor of love on the day of the set up, but
when it was all finished, it was not only re-
warding to see the beautiful atmosphere
we helped create but gave us that boost of
confidence that we can do this!
AM: What makes you stand out from your competitors?
LH: We feel that with our company you
get that feeling of a “boutique” florist en-
abling us to give personal and detailed
customer service. There are only two of us,
and although we hire our staff for event set
ups, it is our hands that design and craft
all the flowers, including the bouquets, the
centerpieces. We know firsthand what the
bride’s vision is and we use our own design
talents to see that through.
AM: What’s your floral advice for brides on a budget?
LH: For brides on a budget we recom-
mend a few things. First, spend your
money on what matters. Your bouquet is
important as it will likely be in every pic-
ture of your wedding day. Choose the bou-
quet that you have dreamed of and bud-
get around that. Also consider that your
guests will be spending 90% of their time
at the reception. If you have to choose,
do something simple for the ceremony and
put your budget into your reception. Another
thought on that is using your reception cen-
terpieces as décor down the aisle way and
then transferring them during cocktail hour
back to the tables. Secondly, renting vases,
and containers can be a huge money saver!
Arrangements can made in removable trays
so guests can still take the flowers home to
enjoy them. Fabric covered boxes are another
budget friendly option verse using glass vas-
es. They are modern, and light weight! Last-
ly, if you cannot afford flower centerpieces
for your tables, consider renting vases with a
single submerged flower stem. Add crystals,
rocks or sand at the bottom to add interest.
AM: What are your future plans?
LH: We are always excited about the future,
as it brings in new clients with new ideas and
feeds us with fresh inspiration!
Bella BloomsLeanna Henry(714) 296-1943 bella-blooms.com
88 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 89
Aroos Feature
We worked in Melanie’s tiny one car garage
and moved on to a two car garage and bought
a small cooler. In 2007 we were faced with
a big push to get a studio and with nervous
excitement, we leased our first studio in Ana-
heim. Our business tripled that following year
and we have never regretted that leap of faith
jump!
AM: What made you personally want to go into the floral design business?
LH: We both shared this intense desire to
work for ourselves, and not only that but to
work for ourselves doing something that we
truly enjoyed! There is something so fulfilling
about putting together colors and different
styles of flowers that it satisfies our souls.
Whether it’s creating a vision for someone’s
event or bringing to life a bride’s idea, the ex-
citement and fulfillment is always there!
AM: Do you work with all budgets, or do you specialize in high-end events?
LH: We pride ourselves with working with
all budgets, big and small. Of course, we love
the high-end events too but we welcome all
types of clients!
AM: What’s your personal design aes-thetic?
LH: Our personal design aesthetic is to
use actual flowers and not fluff with greenery
or foliage. We feel that if the client wants a
certain look to their flowers, we try to direct
them to the choices that would give them the
most bang for their buck so they do not have
to fill it in with greens.
AM: What are some of your favorite flow-ers and arrangement ideas?
LH: Some of our favorite flowers are the
“unexpected” ones. We love to incorporate
flowers that have texture, such as the pin
cushion, coxcomb, lotus pods, kale, artichoke
and billy balls. Bold colors with textured flow-
ers always makes for an amazing arrange-
ment! The Gloriosa Lilies and the large purple
vanda orchids are just a taste of some of the
flowers that we get excited about using!
AM: What are some of the big trends in wedding florals right now?
LH: Trends to us mainly come in the form
of color palettes. This year, slate gray is the
color of choice for a lot of brides, accented
with yellow or white. Also, we have seen a big
trend with brides mixing in succulents, which
make for some unique bouts, bouquets and
centerpieces!
AM: Could you describe what services you provide, in addition to just creating the ar-rangements?
LH: Our services extend to rentals. We
have a pretty substantial inventory and are
able to offer in house vases/branch rentals.
We also have chuppahs and canopies avail-
able for rent with different fabric choices.
AM: What was one of your most memo-rable weddings/designs, and what made it special?
LH: One of the most memorable wed-
dings we did was our first big budget
wedding in 2007. We had only been in
our studio a short while and booked this
bride whose wedding was in 2 weeks. She
wanted 50 centerpieces (all tall) and an
aisle way lined with Manzanita trees with
draping crystals. This event was a true tes-
tament to what we were capable of pulling
together in such a little time frame. It was
a labor of love on the day of the set up, but
when it was all finished, it was not only re-
warding to see the beautiful atmosphere
we helped create but gave us that boost of
confidence that we can do this!
AM: What makes you stand out from your competitors?
LH: We feel that with our company you
get that feeling of a “boutique” florist en-
abling us to give personal and detailed
customer service. There are only two of us,
and although we hire our staff for event set
ups, it is our hands that design and craft
all the flowers, including the bouquets, the
centerpieces. We know firsthand what the
bride’s vision is and we use our own design
talents to see that through.
AM: What’s your floral advice for brides on a budget?
LH: For brides on a budget we recom-
mend a few things. First, spend your
money on what matters. Your bouquet is
important as it will likely be in every pic-
ture of your wedding day. Choose the bou-
quet that you have dreamed of and bud-
get around that. Also consider that your
guests will be spending 90% of their time
at the reception. If you have to choose,
do something simple for the ceremony and
put your budget into your reception. Another
thought on that is using your reception cen-
terpieces as décor down the aisle way and
then transferring them during cocktail hour
back to the tables. Secondly, renting vases,
and containers can be a huge money saver!
Arrangements can made in removable trays
so guests can still take the flowers home to
enjoy them. Fabric covered boxes are another
budget friendly option verse using glass vas-
es. They are modern, and light weight! Last-
ly, if you cannot afford flower centerpieces
for your tables, consider renting vases with a
single submerged flower stem. Add crystals,
rocks or sand at the bottom to add interest.
AM: What are your future plans?
LH: We are always excited about the future,
as it brings in new clients with new ideas and
feeds us with fresh inspiration!
Bella BloomsLeanna Henry(714) 296-1943 bella-blooms.com
90 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 91
Aroos FeatureWe
dding R
eport
Ch else� & O�idi i
August 14, 2010
The couple: Chelsea McKnight & Omid Navran
The location: The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast
The flowers and color scheme: The colors were whites, silvers and mink. Sunny Ravanbach from White
Lilac Inc. did the entire floral design and came up with the mink color to make sure the room did not
feel cold with all the white floral. All the flowers were done in white to give a clean elegant look, and
combined with Manzanita trees to keep it modern. The bride’s ensemble: The sofreh dress was designed
by Steven Yearick and purchased at Mon Amie Bridal Salon; the shoes were Ferragamo. The American
ceremony and reception dress was designed and purchased at Winnie Couture; the shoes were Christian
Louboutin. The hair and makeup were by Christine Colucci with Makeup Mafia. The bridesmaids:
The bridesmaids wore long one shoulder mink gowns designed by Jim Hjelm. The coordinator: Jean-
nie Savage with Details Details Wedding and Event Planning. The invitations: By Nichelle Luc with
Details a la Carte. They were made of clear plexiglass with mink and white ink and had a chandelier
at the top with crystals, which was a theme throughout the wedding. The lighting and rentals: Shine
did lighting, Finishing Touch did draping, photo booth was Pacific Photobooths. The catering: By the
Resort at Pelican Hill. The cake: By Pelican Hill. The cake was a large five-tier focal point with white
floral in between each layer, mink in color with white chandeliers along the border to match the invites
and theme throughout. The entertainment: DJ Mike Soltani. The honeymoon: St. Thomas. The pho-
tography and videography: Triplecord Photography and Elysium Productions did videography. The
jewelry: The groom designed the bride’s ring from scratch with his family jeweler. The main diamond is
cushion cut with two smaller cushion cut diamonds on each side. There are small pave diamonds on the
sides and band with a lot of intricate scrollwork in the setting. The groom’s ring is from Ozel Jewelers and
has a personalized message inscribed in Farsi for only him to see. The favors: The couple had a photo
booth so each guest was able to take home fun photos from the evening. The officiant: J.P. Reynolds.
The sofreh: Designed from scratch by Omid’s mother Ashley Navran. The florals were by Mina’s Flow-
ers. From the couple: I think one thing that made our wedding day extra special was that we had two
ceremonies in order to honor both of our families and to celebrate both of our cultures. Each ceremony
was unique and special in its own way but together made our wedding day exactly what it was, perfect!
– As told by Chelsea & Omid.
90 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
FIX EVERY ISSUE
90 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 91
Aroos Feature
Weddin
g Repo
rt
Ch else� & O�idi i
August 14, 2010
The couple: Chelsea McKnight & Omid Navran
The location: The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast
The flowers and color scheme: The colors were whites, silvers and mink. Sunny Ravanbach from White
Lilac Inc. did the entire floral design and came up with the mink color to make sure the room did not
feel cold with all the white floral. All the flowers were done in white to give a clean elegant look, and
combined with Manzanita trees to keep it modern. The bride’s ensemble: The sofreh dress was designed
by Steven Yearick and purchased at Mon Amie Bridal Salon; the shoes were Ferragamo. The American
ceremony and reception dress was designed and purchased at Winnie Couture; the shoes were Christian
Louboutin. The hair and makeup were by Christine Colucci with Makeup Mafia. The bridesmaids:
The bridesmaids wore long one shoulder mink gowns designed by Jim Hjelm. The coordinator: Jean-
nie Savage with Details Details Wedding and Event Planning. The invitations: By Nichelle Luc with
Details a la Carte. They were made of clear plexiglass with mink and white ink and had a chandelier
at the top with crystals, which was a theme throughout the wedding. The lighting and rentals: Shine
did lighting, Finishing Touch did draping, photo booth was Pacific Photobooths. The catering: By the
Resort at Pelican Hill. The cake: By Pelican Hill. The cake was a large five-tier focal point with white
floral in between each layer, mink in color with white chandeliers along the border to match the invites
and theme throughout. The entertainment: DJ Mike Soltani. The honeymoon: St. Thomas. The pho-
tography and videography: Triplecord Photography and Elysium Productions did videography. The
jewelry: The groom designed the bride’s ring from scratch with his family jeweler. The main diamond is
cushion cut with two smaller cushion cut diamonds on each side. There are small pave diamonds on the
sides and band with a lot of intricate scrollwork in the setting. The groom’s ring is from Ozel Jewelers and
has a personalized message inscribed in Farsi for only him to see. The favors: The couple had a photo
booth so each guest was able to take home fun photos from the evening. The officiant: J.P. Reynolds.
The sofreh: Designed from scratch by Omid’s mother Ashley Navran. The florals were by Mina’s Flow-
ers. From the couple: I think one thing that made our wedding day extra special was that we had two
ceremonies in order to honor both of our families and to celebrate both of our cultures. Each ceremony
was unique and special in its own way but together made our wedding day exactly what it was, perfect!
– As told by Chelsea & Omid.
90 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
FIX EVERY ISSUE
92 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 93
Aroos Feature
92 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
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Aroos Feature
94 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 95
Aroos Feature
A gem of a local jeweler is only known to a select clientele. Soraya Jewels can only be reached by appointment, but is always in demand.
“I’ve been in business over 20 years; I started through manufacturing and whole-saling,” owner Zac Amir said. “I used to buy my jewelry through a very good friend of mine who was manufacturing jewelry overseas. One day I went to buy a gift for my wife and he offered, ‘Why don’t you be-come my partner?’ At that time — about 25 years ago — I was going to buy a Sub-
way restaurant. I said, ‘Listen, I’m getting into the food business.’ He said, ‘Why not the jewelry business? I’ll teach you. Just try it for a few months. If you don’t like it, buy a Subway.’ I said fine; I’ll try it; I’ll give it a shot. The rest is history.”
Amir maintained a Los Angeles office and went to sell their wares in jewelry shows around the world for about 13 or 14 years, but eventually got tired of all the traveling.
“I wanted to be on my own, so I opened up Soraya Jewels,” he said. “We make
things on a small scale; maybe 30 or 100 pieces at a time. So I’ve been on both sides of the business.”
Soraya celebrated a grand opening re-cently, when they opened an additional space.
“I offer fine, high-end jewelry and watch-es,” Amir said. “I custom design whatever people want, and I do repairs as well. I have pieces that cost a few hundred dollars all the way up to a few hundred thousand.”
Amir said his price and his service make him stand out. “Other jewelers buy their
Local business Soraya Jewels offers custom design and unique in-stock pieces. It recently celebrated an expansion, and its trajectory continues to rise.
Diamond of a Business ExpandsAll photography in this article is courtesy Shirvan Design.
94 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 95
Aroos Feature
A gem of a local jeweler is only known to a select clientele. Soraya Jewels can only be reached by appointment, but is always in demand.
“I’ve been in business over 20 years; I started through manufacturing and whole-saling,” owner Zac Amir said. “I used to buy my jewelry through a very good friend of mine who was manufacturing jewelry overseas. One day I went to buy a gift for my wife and he offered, ‘Why don’t you be-come my partner?’ At that time — about 25 years ago — I was going to buy a Sub-
way restaurant. I said, ‘Listen, I’m getting into the food business.’ He said, ‘Why not the jewelry business? I’ll teach you. Just try it for a few months. If you don’t like it, buy a Subway.’ I said fine; I’ll try it; I’ll give it a shot. The rest is history.”
Amir maintained a Los Angeles office and went to sell their wares in jewelry shows around the world for about 13 or 14 years, but eventually got tired of all the traveling.
“I wanted to be on my own, so I opened up Soraya Jewels,” he said. “We make
things on a small scale; maybe 30 or 100 pieces at a time. So I’ve been on both sides of the business.”
Soraya celebrated a grand opening re-cently, when they opened an additional space.
“I offer fine, high-end jewelry and watch-es,” Amir said. “I custom design whatever people want, and I do repairs as well. I have pieces that cost a few hundred dollars all the way up to a few hundred thousand.”
Amir said his price and his service make him stand out. “Other jewelers buy their
Local business Soraya Jewels offers custom design and unique in-stock pieces. It recently celebrated an expansion, and its trajectory continues to rise.
Diamond of a Business ExpandsAll photography in this article is courtesy Shirvan Design.
96 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 97
Aroos Feature
stuff and then sell it, but I make my own stuff,” he said; Soraya offers things that can’t be found else-where.
“We’re very unique. We offer big discounts on all watches, too.”
Amir said a popular trend in wed-ding jewelry right now is the ‘halo’ effect of tiny diamonds around a center stone.
In the future, Amir hopes to ex-pand his retail business.
“But I don’t want to grow too much,” he said. “The reason I’m in this location is because I don’t want to have a typical retail store; we are by appointment only. I se-lect my clients and have zero walk-in business.”
To learn more, call (949) 617-6666 or visit sorayajewels.com.
96 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 97
Aroos Feature
stuff and then sell it, but I make my own stuff,” he said; Soraya offers things that can’t be found else-where.
“We’re very unique. We offer big discounts on all watches, too.”
Amir said a popular trend in wed-ding jewelry right now is the ‘halo’ effect of tiny diamonds around a center stone.
In the future, Amir hopes to ex-pand his retail business.
“But I don’t want to grow too much,” he said. “The reason I’m in this location is because I don’t want to have a typical retail store; we are by appointment only. I se-lect my clients and have zero walk-in business.”
To learn more, call (949) 617-6666 or visit sorayajewels.com.
100 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 101
Aroos FeatureS�ani & And�November 12, 2011
(pre-wedding party on November 11; second wedding reception on November 27)
The couple: Shani Rigsbee & Andy Madadian
The location: Taglyan Cultural Center, Hollywood
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was mostly white and ivory with turquoise. The flowers were done by Anoush and Lisa for American Weddings Center. Zareh Shah (wedding coordinator) contrib-uted to the design, which was mostly white cymbidium orchids, hydrangeas and blush roses for accent in the centerpieces. The tables featured a low centerpiece in four individual, square glass vases placed together with pale pink crystal embellishments and loads of votive candles. The ceremony site in Taglyan Cultural Center was designed and executed by Zareh Shah and Anoush for Flowers by Anoush and Lisa which featured a large “candle screen” surrounded by white orchids, white calla lilies and hydrangeas. The ceremony aisle
was a design of white and blush rose petals. The bride’s ensemble: The bride’s dress was by Simin of Simin Couture, Beverly Hills. The shoes were Enzo Angiolini. The bride’s hair was done by Zareh for Z Prive, and
makeup was by Lesley C. Thornton. The groom’s ensemble: A tuxedo by Hugo Boss. The coordinator: Zareh Shah for Z Shah Productions. The invitations: The bride and groom designed the invitations with the printing done by Celebrity Printing. They were with a turquoise textured background with French Script font in black. The lighting and rentals: The lighting was provided by Taglyan Cultural Center, which has a state of the art lighting system. The lighting was in turquoise stained glass overhead on the ceiling with turquoise
accent lighting. The dance floor was a polished white floor; white chivari chairs and stage and backdrop were all provided by Palace Party Rentals in Glendale. The catering: Divine Catering for Taglyan Cultural Center. The cake: Cake Divas of Beverly Hills. It was a four-tiered square cake in pearlized ivory fondant. The lowest tier had a “ruffled” accent to complement the bride’s dress. It was decorated with fresh white cymbidium or-chids. The cake featured passion fruit mousse mixed with fresh berries for the filling inside of a vanilla cake. The entertainment: The DJ and Emcee was Allan Buenafe. The performers in order of appearance included
Kouros, Shahram Shabpareh, Sako, Tiffany Madadian, Shahram Solati, Kamran and Hooman, Sepideh, Faramarz Assef, Mansour, Pyruz, Ali Danial, Shahab Tiam, Farshid Amin, El Cid, Saro and K.C. Porter, and selected artists from the Dubois Talent Agency. The bride and groom joined on stage to sing together.
The transportation: Marco Khorasani for VIP Tours and Charters coordinated all the transportation for the bridal party for all of the festivities. The honeymoon: The Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. The photography
and videography: By Navid Soheilian, Armen Asadorian Photography, Caro Photography and Ara Kha-chatoorian. Video services were provided by Eric Film. The jewelry: Naz Atikian for Le Papillon, Glendale designed all of the jewelry specifically for the bride and groom. The solitaire is a 5-carat white gold ring. The
wedding bands are in white gold with diamond accents. The bride’s eternity band is white gold encased in pave diamonds. The favors: The guests received a bridal photo of the bride and groom provided by American
Weddings Center in Glendale, CA. The officiant: Frank Woods. From the couple: The pre-wedding party was on November 11 at a winery and ranch in Agua Dulce, and at the estate of Marco Khorasani, owner of VIP Tours and Charters. The second wedding reception was on November 27 at Palladio in Glendale,
with a similar team as the first reception but with a seven-tier square cake in ivory with a giant bow by Rafi’s Cake and Pastries. The theme of the night was “La Vie en Rose,” with an abundance of red roses with Black Magic rose accents, red velvet draperies, and gold and black accents. It was a romantic yet energetic evening
filled with lots of music and celebrities from the Armenian community, as well as many of our extended family members and friends. – As told by Shani & Andy.
i i
Weddin
g Repo
rt
100 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 101
Aroos FeatureS�ani & And�November 12, 2011
(pre-wedding party on November 11; second wedding reception on November 27)
The couple: Shani Rigsbee & Andy Madadian
The location: Taglyan Cultural Center, Hollywood
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was mostly white and ivory with turquoise. The flowers were done by Anoush and Lisa for American Weddings Center. Zareh Shah (wedding coordinator) contrib-uted to the design, which was mostly white cymbidium orchids, hydrangeas and blush roses for accent in the centerpieces. The tables featured a low centerpiece in four individual, square glass vases placed together with pale pink crystal embellishments and loads of votive candles. The ceremony site in Taglyan Cultural Center was designed and executed by Zareh Shah and Anoush for Flowers by Anoush and Lisa which featured a large “candle screen” surrounded by white orchids, white calla lilies and hydrangeas. The ceremony aisle
was a design of white and blush rose petals. The bride’s ensemble: The bride’s dress was by Simin of Simin Couture, Beverly Hills. The shoes were Enzo Angiolini. The bride’s hair was done by Zareh for Z Prive, and
makeup was by Lesley C. Thornton. The groom’s ensemble: A tuxedo by Hugo Boss. The coordinator: Zareh Shah for Z Shah Productions. The invitations: The bride and groom designed the invitations with the printing done by Celebrity Printing. They were with a turquoise textured background with French Script font in black. The lighting and rentals: The lighting was provided by Taglyan Cultural Center, which has a state of the art lighting system. The lighting was in turquoise stained glass overhead on the ceiling with turquoise
accent lighting. The dance floor was a polished white floor; white chivari chairs and stage and backdrop were all provided by Palace Party Rentals in Glendale. The catering: Divine Catering for Taglyan Cultural Center. The cake: Cake Divas of Beverly Hills. It was a four-tiered square cake in pearlized ivory fondant. The lowest tier had a “ruffled” accent to complement the bride’s dress. It was decorated with fresh white cymbidium or-chids. The cake featured passion fruit mousse mixed with fresh berries for the filling inside of a vanilla cake. The entertainment: The DJ and Emcee was Allan Buenafe. The performers in order of appearance included
Kouros, Shahram Shabpareh, Sako, Tiffany Madadian, Shahram Solati, Kamran and Hooman, Sepideh, Faramarz Assef, Mansour, Pyruz, Ali Danial, Shahab Tiam, Farshid Amin, El Cid, Saro and K.C. Porter, and selected artists from the Dubois Talent Agency. The bride and groom joined on stage to sing together.
The transportation: Marco Khorasani for VIP Tours and Charters coordinated all the transportation for the bridal party for all of the festivities. The honeymoon: The Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. The photography
and videography: By Navid Soheilian, Armen Asadorian Photography, Caro Photography and Ara Kha-chatoorian. Video services were provided by Eric Film. The jewelry: Naz Atikian for Le Papillon, Glendale designed all of the jewelry specifically for the bride and groom. The solitaire is a 5-carat white gold ring. The
wedding bands are in white gold with diamond accents. The bride’s eternity band is white gold encased in pave diamonds. The favors: The guests received a bridal photo of the bride and groom provided by American
Weddings Center in Glendale, CA. The officiant: Frank Woods. From the couple: The pre-wedding party was on November 11 at a winery and ranch in Agua Dulce, and at the estate of Marco Khorasani, owner of VIP Tours and Charters. The second wedding reception was on November 27 at Palladio in Glendale,
with a similar team as the first reception but with a seven-tier square cake in ivory with a giant bow by Rafi’s Cake and Pastries. The theme of the night was “La Vie en Rose,” with an abundance of red roses with Black Magic rose accents, red velvet draperies, and gold and black accents. It was a romantic yet energetic evening
filled with lots of music and celebrities from the Armenian community, as well as many of our extended family members and friends. – As told by Shani & Andy.
i i
Weddin
g Repo
rt
©Ph
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raph
y by
:Nav
id S
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lian
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©Ph
otog
raph
y by
:Nav
id S
ohei
lian
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Phot
ogra
phy
by:N
avid
Soh
eilia
n
©Ph
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raph
y by
:Nav
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©Ph
otog
raph
y by
:Nav
id S
ohei
lian
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Phot
ogra
phy
by:N
avid
Soh
eilia
n
©Ph
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raph
y by
:Nav
id S
ohei
lian
106 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Aroos Feature
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Aroos Magazine: What’s the history of your company? How did you get into busi-ness?
Queen’s Bakery: I’ve dreamed of owning
a beautiful bakery for years and years that
would make anyone who walked in the doors
feel like they were royalty. When I owned
Sunflour bakery, I had endless opportunity
to learn the ins and outs of the bakery world,
but it was a wholesale company and I didn’t
get to entertain people in the pristine envi-
ronment I wanted. It was at Sunflour that I
met and hired a talented cake designer and
pastry chef who had the same goals I did. We
naturally decided to open something in the
retail space that I owned which was vacant
and we settled on an amazing style design I
like to call ‘Vivaciously Royal.’ It’s bright, fun,
inviting and cozy. It’s the perfect place for a
bridal shower or event.
Looking for a sweet new spot to score luscious wedding cakes or other goodies? Check out the gorgeous (and delicious) Queen’s Bakery in Costa Mesa.
Sweet and ‘Vivaciously Royal ’All photography in this article is courtesy the Queen’s Bakery.
108 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 109
Aroos Feature
Aroos Magazine: What’s the history of your company? How did you get into busi-ness?
Queen’s Bakery: I’ve dreamed of owning
a beautiful bakery for years and years that
would make anyone who walked in the doors
feel like they were royalty. When I owned
Sunflour bakery, I had endless opportunity
to learn the ins and outs of the bakery world,
but it was a wholesale company and I didn’t
get to entertain people in the pristine envi-
ronment I wanted. It was at Sunflour that I
met and hired a talented cake designer and
pastry chef who had the same goals I did. We
naturally decided to open something in the
retail space that I owned which was vacant
and we settled on an amazing style design I
like to call ‘Vivaciously Royal.’ It’s bright, fun,
inviting and cozy. It’s the perfect place for a
bridal shower or event.
Looking for a sweet new spot to score luscious wedding cakes or other goodies? Check out the gorgeous (and delicious) Queen’s Bakery in Costa Mesa.
Sweet and ‘Vivaciously Royal ’All photography in this article is courtesy the Queen’s Bakery.
110 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 111
Aroos Feature
AM: What flavors, looks, etc. do you offer, and what are some of your personal favor-ites?
QB: Our chef and manager loves creating
flavors and looks for each season, but I love
the Chocolate Rosewater cupcakes and Coco-
nut cupcakes. Usually, I don’t care for cake at
all, but her cake is just amazing. We also have
absolutely delicious Napoleons and Tiramisu.
She’s also been putting out some gorgeous
little cake bites which would be perfect for
weddings. And I can never resist those.
AM: Do you work with all budgets, or do you specialize in high-end events?
QB: Of course, with the current economic
climate, we recognize the need to work with
all budgets, but our best work shines at high-
end events because we have more time to put
toward that ‘perfect cake’ which is tailored
specifically and solely for the event. That be-
ing said, we also have beautiful solutions for
every budget.
AM: Could you describe what products and services you provide in addition to wedding cakes?
QB: Besides custom cakes, we specialize
in women’s and girl’s parties. We also have
lunch all day, specialty espresso drinks, plen-
ty of desserts and a very tempting selection
of teas. All in all, we’re a great out-of-the-way
place to bring friends and relax and have a
good time together.
AM: What makes you stand out from your competitors?
QB: I think we bring something our local
weddings have been dying to see for too many
years...wedding cakes that are both delicious
AND beautiful. Our chef has been creating
wedding cakes for 12 years and she practi-
cally had the Vegas wedding cake market
cornered for many years as the only person
to make cakes that tasted as good as they
looked. I was glad to snatch her up when she
moved to Orange County. We’re lucky to have
that sort of talent aboard.
AM: What are some of the big trends you are seeing in weddings right now?
QB: Cakes that go with the theme of the
wedding are what we’ve been producing
lately, in line with the trends from the hottest
shops in the country. Most brides these days
are looking for something beyond the tradi-
tional wedding cake and are asking that their
cakes match their theme, style, feel, dress
or decor. Or sometimes, they just want the
cake to capture a memory or a feeling from
the courtship. To summarize, they want their
cake personalized.
AM: What’s your advice for brides on a bud-get?
QB: Don’t throw in the towel just because
you’re budgeting. We’ll do our best to give you
a cake that will look beautiful at your wedding,
no matter what.
Going for a more simple cake and using rib-
bon or flowers for color, choosing buttercream
over fondant, or using some of our more
streamlined designs are ways to keep your
wallet in check.
AM: What are your future plans?
QB: Eventually, we’ll be looking to expand to
other locations and for that possibility, we’re
so appreciative to a supportive community
who’s been willing to give our small shop a try.
We’ve got our eye on those new upcom-
ing projects for our future, but for now, we’re
just trying to stay ahead of the trend at The
Queen’s Bakery.
We know that giving attentive customer
service and committing to quality products
holds the key to our future, so we’re going to
stay focused and make our customers happy.
When we do that, we know the sky’s the
limit.
For more information on this delectable confectioner, stop by Queen’s Bakery, 2950 Grace Ln., Costa Mesa; call (714) 235-0515; or visit queensbakerycafe.com.
110 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 111
Aroos Feature
AM: What flavors, looks, etc. do you offer, and what are some of your personal favor-ites?
QB: Our chef and manager loves creating
flavors and looks for each season, but I love
the Chocolate Rosewater cupcakes and Coco-
nut cupcakes. Usually, I don’t care for cake at
all, but her cake is just amazing. We also have
absolutely delicious Napoleons and Tiramisu.
She’s also been putting out some gorgeous
little cake bites which would be perfect for
weddings. And I can never resist those.
AM: Do you work with all budgets, or do you specialize in high-end events?
QB: Of course, with the current economic
climate, we recognize the need to work with
all budgets, but our best work shines at high-
end events because we have more time to put
toward that ‘perfect cake’ which is tailored
specifically and solely for the event. That be-
ing said, we also have beautiful solutions for
every budget.
AM: Could you describe what products and services you provide in addition to wedding cakes?
QB: Besides custom cakes, we specialize
in women’s and girl’s parties. We also have
lunch all day, specialty espresso drinks, plen-
ty of desserts and a very tempting selection
of teas. All in all, we’re a great out-of-the-way
place to bring friends and relax and have a
good time together.
AM: What makes you stand out from your competitors?
QB: I think we bring something our local
weddings have been dying to see for too many
years...wedding cakes that are both delicious
AND beautiful. Our chef has been creating
wedding cakes for 12 years and she practi-
cally had the Vegas wedding cake market
cornered for many years as the only person
to make cakes that tasted as good as they
looked. I was glad to snatch her up when she
moved to Orange County. We’re lucky to have
that sort of talent aboard.
AM: What are some of the big trends you are seeing in weddings right now?
QB: Cakes that go with the theme of the
wedding are what we’ve been producing
lately, in line with the trends from the hottest
shops in the country. Most brides these days
are looking for something beyond the tradi-
tional wedding cake and are asking that their
cakes match their theme, style, feel, dress
or decor. Or sometimes, they just want the
cake to capture a memory or a feeling from
the courtship. To summarize, they want their
cake personalized.
AM: What’s your advice for brides on a bud-get?
QB: Don’t throw in the towel just because
you’re budgeting. We’ll do our best to give you
a cake that will look beautiful at your wedding,
no matter what.
Going for a more simple cake and using rib-
bon or flowers for color, choosing buttercream
over fondant, or using some of our more
streamlined designs are ways to keep your
wallet in check.
AM: What are your future plans?
QB: Eventually, we’ll be looking to expand to
other locations and for that possibility, we’re
so appreciative to a supportive community
who’s been willing to give our small shop a try.
We’ve got our eye on those new upcom-
ing projects for our future, but for now, we’re
just trying to stay ahead of the trend at The
Queen’s Bakery.
We know that giving attentive customer
service and committing to quality products
holds the key to our future, so we’re going to
stay focused and make our customers happy.
When we do that, we know the sky’s the
limit.
For more information on this delectable confectioner, stop by Queen’s Bakery, 2950 Grace Ln., Costa Mesa; call (714) 235-0515; or visit queensbakerycafe.com.
114 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 115
Aroos Feature
songs or types of music you do not want to be played.
- How the wedding band and singer will be dressed at your wedding.
- How payment will be made. (Eg: Initial deposit upon retainer with final payment due within one week after performance.)
- An indemnity clause not holding you responsible if the band and sing-er’s expensive equipment becomes lost or damaged.
- An intellectual property clause not allowing any photographs or video taken by the singer or band to be published by them without your writ-ten consent.
As silly as some of the above claus-es sound, they will give you peace of mind knowing that there is a clear agreement on how you want your per-fect wedding to be.
As you can see, written agree-ments will most certainly be different depending on what kind of service you’re dealing with — and just as of-ten do major concerts and clubs hire lawyers to draft numerous agree-ments, so too will the well-prepared couple in hiring an attorney to work with all of their service providers and draft the proper written agreements that will benefit both parties.
All too often do I get phone calls from newlyweds whose perfect wed-dings didn’t end up so perfect.
Sometimes these wedding mis-haps involve the caterer not prepar-ing enough food for the guests. Other times a hotel ballroom will not have enough capacity for the guests. I have even had complaints about the new Mr. and Mrs. getting sued by their own guests who suffered inju-ries after having too many drinks and attempting some ridiculous stunts! All of these little imperfections how-ever could have been prevented with one simple measure — prepare well, and prepare in writing!
When it comes to hiring services such as wedding planners, caterers, DJs, and florists, it is absolutely es-sential that you have clear and con-cise mutual agreements. In this day and age where so many things can go wrong, a simple handshake or words of assurance like “leave it to me” just won’t do.
You should also be particularly cau-tious of the pre-written agreements that service providers will give you to sign. Remember that these agree-ments were written by the service providers themselves so chances are the terms of these agreements will be more beneficial for them if any-thing goes wrong.
You need a written agreement that sets forth every detail of what these service providers will actually provide. Such details can include the quantity of goods they provide, the quality of the goods, what exact date and time these goods will be provided, etc.
For example, let’s say you’re hir-ing a musical band or wedding singer and want to make sure all the loose strings are taken care of. When it’s
time to put everything in writing, here are just a few of the many important items you want in your agreement:
- The specific dates and hours the singer and band will be present at your wedding.
- The specific equipment and instru-ments they will be bringing.
- A playlist of the specific songs that will be played and a list of specific
Just Because Your Wedding Vows Aren’t In Writing Doesn’t Mean Your Plans Shouldn’t Be
Christopher K. Jafari, Esq.Direct Line:
(949) 852-4454
Noushin Dehnadi, Esq.Direct Line:
(949) 852-7301
ALL FAMILY LAW RELATED MATTERSAll Marital Agreements (prenuptial & postnuptial)
Property AgreementsBusiness Agreements
General civil litigationBusiness LitigationFamily law services
Office Location:
One Park Plaza, Sixth Floor
Irvine, California 92614
Aroos Experts
114 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 115
Aroos Feature
songs or types of music you do not want to be played.
- How the wedding band and singer will be dressed at your wedding.
- How payment will be made. (Eg: Initial deposit upon retainer with final payment due within one week after performance.)
- An indemnity clause not holding you responsible if the band and sing-er’s expensive equipment becomes lost or damaged.
- An intellectual property clause not allowing any photographs or video taken by the singer or band to be published by them without your writ-ten consent.
As silly as some of the above claus-es sound, they will give you peace of mind knowing that there is a clear agreement on how you want your per-fect wedding to be.
As you can see, written agree-ments will most certainly be different depending on what kind of service you’re dealing with — and just as of-ten do major concerts and clubs hire lawyers to draft numerous agree-ments, so too will the well-prepared couple in hiring an attorney to work with all of their service providers and draft the proper written agreements that will benefit both parties.
All too often do I get phone calls from newlyweds whose perfect wed-dings didn’t end up so perfect.
Sometimes these wedding mis-haps involve the caterer not prepar-ing enough food for the guests. Other times a hotel ballroom will not have enough capacity for the guests. I have even had complaints about the new Mr. and Mrs. getting sued by their own guests who suffered inju-ries after having too many drinks and attempting some ridiculous stunts! All of these little imperfections how-ever could have been prevented with one simple measure — prepare well, and prepare in writing!
When it comes to hiring services such as wedding planners, caterers, DJs, and florists, it is absolutely es-sential that you have clear and con-cise mutual agreements. In this day and age where so many things can go wrong, a simple handshake or words of assurance like “leave it to me” just won’t do.
You should also be particularly cau-tious of the pre-written agreements that service providers will give you to sign. Remember that these agree-ments were written by the service providers themselves so chances are the terms of these agreements will be more beneficial for them if any-thing goes wrong.
You need a written agreement that sets forth every detail of what these service providers will actually provide. Such details can include the quantity of goods they provide, the quality of the goods, what exact date and time these goods will be provided, etc.
For example, let’s say you’re hir-ing a musical band or wedding singer and want to make sure all the loose strings are taken care of. When it’s
time to put everything in writing, here are just a few of the many important items you want in your agreement:
- The specific dates and hours the singer and band will be present at your wedding.
- The specific equipment and instru-ments they will be bringing.
- A playlist of the specific songs that will be played and a list of specific
Just Because Your Wedding Vows Aren’t In Writing Doesn’t Mean Your Plans Shouldn’t Be
Christopher K. Jafari, Esq.Direct Line:
(949) 852-4454
Noushin Dehnadi, Esq.Direct Line:
(949) 852-7301
ALL FAMILY LAW RELATED MATTERSAll Marital Agreements (prenuptial & postnuptial)
Property AgreementsBusiness Agreements
General civil litigationBusiness LitigationFamily law services
Office Location:
One Park Plaza, Sixth Floor
Irvine, California 92614
Aroos Experts
118 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 119
Aroos Feature
November 11, 2011
The couple: Goli & Alan Parsa
The location: Rancho Las Lomas
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was lime green, orange, fuchsia and yellow, with lots of
candles everywhere. It was very romantic and complemented the nature scene the wedding took place in.
They were by Kimarie Kilkenny of Finishing Touches. The bride’s ensemble: The bride’s shoes were by
Badgley Mischka from Bloomingdales. Her hair and makeup were by Jasmine Parsa of La Mirage. The
bridesmaids: The two bridesmaids wore color-coordinated dresses from Bloomingdales. The groom’s
ensemble: From Nordstrom. The coordinator: Jasmine Parsa, who put the amazing wedding together
in three weeks. The invitations: By Jasmine Parsa. “They were very simple just like us,” the couple said.
The lighting and rentals: By 24 Carrots. The catering: By Besharati; the couple highly recommended
the food. The cake: The delicious cake was by Bahar Bakery. The entertainment: DJ Kevin and his
percussionist band were fantastic and really kept the party going. The honeymoon: The couple will go to
Tahiti in May. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: Custom designed by
Eli’s Jewelers. The favors: Four-ounce bottles by Bear and Eagle of 101 Vodka that had a picture of the
bride and groom with the date on the bottles. Very unique customized gifts. Everyone loved them! The
officiant: Ms. Golnar Djahanbani. The sofreh: By Fakhereh Maleki. From the couple: We really wanted
to get married on 11/11/11 so we only had three weeks to get everything done as best we could in such a
limited time. My wedding planner has some magical skills since she was also my card designer, hairstylist
and makeup artist. I owe my lovely sister who owns La Mirage Hair Design in Laguna Hills the world.
She’s a one stop shop and does everything to perfection. My other sister and mom helped pick out flowers
and food for my wedding. – As told by Goli & Alan.
Goli & AlanWe
dding R
eport
i i
118 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 119
Aroos Feature
November 11, 2011
The couple: Goli & Alan Parsa
The location: Rancho Las Lomas
The flowers and color scheme: The color scheme was lime green, orange, fuchsia and yellow, with lots of
candles everywhere. It was very romantic and complemented the nature scene the wedding took place in.
They were by Kimarie Kilkenny of Finishing Touches. The bride’s ensemble: The bride’s shoes were by
Badgley Mischka from Bloomingdales. Her hair and makeup were by Jasmine Parsa of La Mirage. The
bridesmaids: The two bridesmaids wore color-coordinated dresses from Bloomingdales. The groom’s
ensemble: From Nordstrom. The coordinator: Jasmine Parsa, who put the amazing wedding together
in three weeks. The invitations: By Jasmine Parsa. “They were very simple just like us,” the couple said.
The lighting and rentals: By 24 Carrots. The catering: By Besharati; the couple highly recommended
the food. The cake: The delicious cake was by Bahar Bakery. The entertainment: DJ Kevin and his
percussionist band were fantastic and really kept the party going. The honeymoon: The couple will go to
Tahiti in May. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The jewelry: Custom designed by
Eli’s Jewelers. The favors: Four-ounce bottles by Bear and Eagle of 101 Vodka that had a picture of the
bride and groom with the date on the bottles. Very unique customized gifts. Everyone loved them! The
officiant: Ms. Golnar Djahanbani. The sofreh: By Fakhereh Maleki. From the couple: We really wanted
to get married on 11/11/11 so we only had three weeks to get everything done as best we could in such a
limited time. My wedding planner has some magical skills since she was also my card designer, hairstylist
and makeup artist. I owe my lovely sister who owns La Mirage Hair Design in Laguna Hills the world.
She’s a one stop shop and does everything to perfection. My other sister and mom helped pick out flowers
and food for my wedding. – As told by Goli & Alan.
Goli & Alan
Weddin
g Repo
rt
i i
120 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 121
Aroos Feature
120 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 121
Aroos Feature
126 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 127
Aroos Feature
Aroos Magazine: How does the laser hair removal procedure work?
DermaBare: Laser targets the dark pig-mentation in hair follicles and damages the follicle to prevent hair growth.
There are 3 major factors involved for a successful laser hair removal outcome:
- The first factor is having good color contrast between the skin color and hair
color. The lighter the skin, the darker the hair, the better the success rate. You may want to know why laser does not work on blond, gray and red hair. The reason is that the laser beam only targets the pigmenta-tion in the hair follicle (hair roots). Gray, blond and red hair does not have enough dark pigmentation in the root; therefore, the hair is not affected by the laser. Good contrast between skin color and hair color
allows us to raise the degree of the laser delivery without worrying about adverse reaction on the skin. This gives our clients maximum result after 4 to 8 sessions of laser hair removal treatments.
- The second factor relates to the color and thickness of the hair. The darker and thicker the hair the better rate of suc-cess. The reason is thicker hair has more pigmentation allowing the laser better
Curious about laser hair removal before your big day? So were we, so we got all of the painless details from Parisa Houshangi of DermaBare in Orange County.
Easier Than You Think
126 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 127
Aroos Feature
Aroos Magazine: How does the laser hair removal procedure work?
DermaBare: Laser targets the dark pig-mentation in hair follicles and damages the follicle to prevent hair growth.
There are 3 major factors involved for a successful laser hair removal outcome:
- The first factor is having good color contrast between the skin color and hair
color. The lighter the skin, the darker the hair, the better the success rate. You may want to know why laser does not work on blond, gray and red hair. The reason is that the laser beam only targets the pigmenta-tion in the hair follicle (hair roots). Gray, blond and red hair does not have enough dark pigmentation in the root; therefore, the hair is not affected by the laser. Good contrast between skin color and hair color
allows us to raise the degree of the laser delivery without worrying about adverse reaction on the skin. This gives our clients maximum result after 4 to 8 sessions of laser hair removal treatments.
- The second factor relates to the color and thickness of the hair. The darker and thicker the hair the better rate of suc-cess. The reason is thicker hair has more pigmentation allowing the laser better
Curious about laser hair removal before your big day? So were we, so we got all of the painless details from Parisa Houshangi of DermaBare in Orange County.
Easier Than You Think
128 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 129
Aroos Feature
penetration to the root, resulting in signifi-cantly decreased hair growth.
- The third and most important factor is the client’s commitment in maintaining a set treatment schedule. Treatment sched-ules are usually 6 to 8 weeks apart. That is because hair follicles need to be in an active growth cycle to respond best to la-ser. This is why we ask our clients to keep their appointments scheduled every 6 to 8 weeks for 4 to 8 sessions to achieve maxi-mum results.
Other factors that may affect the re-sults and length of required treatments are age and gender. Younger clients and men require additional treatments than older clients and women.
AM: What are the benefits of DermaBare vs. conventional methods like shaving?
DB: Great question, we can always shave, wax or use epilators but those methods are time consuming and hair grows back quicker. However, with laser hair removal you get permanent hair re-duction. At the beginning of your laser hair removal treatments you will come to our center every 6 to 8 weeks. The treated area will gradually show signs of decreased hair and longer hair-free periods.
AM: How many treatments has Derm-aBare performed to date?
DB: Based on the recent report from Lumenis, a leading manufacturer of laser machines, DermaBare is the number one volume center in the country and number two in the nation. One center in Brazil is busier than us! We treat more than 800 clients per month and have been special-
izing in laser hair removal since 2003 as Solaris, and in 2006 changed our name to DermaBare. If we do the math we have done over 5,000 treatments in each of our locations, that’s over 100,000 treatments total to date.
AM: Is DermaBare very expensive?
DB: Not at all, our prices are affordable and we always have great monthly pro-motions. On top of that we offer financ-ing options with no monthly interest. We work with our client’s budget to help them achieve their smooth hair-free skin fast, affordable and easy.
AM: Do you offer a complimentary con-sultation?
DB: Absolutely! We have professional
laser advisors that offer complimentary consulta-tions. Our advisors help you make an informed de-cision and will customize a package based on your desired body areas. Our laser advisors have gone through extensive training and will inform you if you are not a good candidate. The complete con-sultation includes education on hair cycles and la-ser hair removal, dos and don’ts and answers to all your questions. In addition one of our registered nurses will perform a “test spot” on your skin to ensure no adverse reaction to our laser machine. The consultation is very informative and allows an opportunity to experience our laser. There is no obligation to purchase.
AM: Are you offering any special promotions right now?
DB: Yes, we have great promotions for our cli-ents. They can save up to 50% with our bundle packages. In addition we had excellent Aroos Show bridal party packages. If you missed us at the show call our center at (949) 545-6600 and ask for one of our laser advisors, they’ll have ad-ditional discounted packages.
AM: What are your future plans?
DB: We want every person who calls or walks into our center to achieve their dream of a smooth and hair free body. To do so, we have updated our machines with the best and latest technology available. Our Lumenis Light Sheer Duet lasers use a vacuum assist technology that allows for better results with less pain in shorter treatment times.
DermaBare(949) 545-6600 dermabare.com
128 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 129
Aroos Feature
penetration to the root, resulting in signifi-cantly decreased hair growth.
- The third and most important factor is the client’s commitment in maintaining a set treatment schedule. Treatment sched-ules are usually 6 to 8 weeks apart. That is because hair follicles need to be in an active growth cycle to respond best to la-ser. This is why we ask our clients to keep their appointments scheduled every 6 to 8 weeks for 4 to 8 sessions to achieve maxi-mum results.
Other factors that may affect the re-sults and length of required treatments are age and gender. Younger clients and men require additional treatments than older clients and women.
AM: What are the benefits of DermaBare vs. conventional methods like shaving?
DB: Great question, we can always shave, wax or use epilators but those methods are time consuming and hair grows back quicker. However, with laser hair removal you get permanent hair re-duction. At the beginning of your laser hair removal treatments you will come to our center every 6 to 8 weeks. The treated area will gradually show signs of decreased hair and longer hair-free periods.
AM: How many treatments has Derm-aBare performed to date?
DB: Based on the recent report from Lumenis, a leading manufacturer of laser machines, DermaBare is the number one volume center in the country and number two in the nation. One center in Brazil is busier than us! We treat more than 800 clients per month and have been special-
izing in laser hair removal since 2003 as Solaris, and in 2006 changed our name to DermaBare. If we do the math we have done over 5,000 treatments in each of our locations, that’s over 100,000 treatments total to date.
AM: Is DermaBare very expensive?
DB: Not at all, our prices are affordable and we always have great monthly pro-motions. On top of that we offer financ-ing options with no monthly interest. We work with our client’s budget to help them achieve their smooth hair-free skin fast, affordable and easy.
AM: Do you offer a complimentary con-sultation?
DB: Absolutely! We have professional
laser advisors that offer complimentary consulta-tions. Our advisors help you make an informed de-cision and will customize a package based on your desired body areas. Our laser advisors have gone through extensive training and will inform you if you are not a good candidate. The complete con-sultation includes education on hair cycles and la-ser hair removal, dos and don’ts and answers to all your questions. In addition one of our registered nurses will perform a “test spot” on your skin to ensure no adverse reaction to our laser machine. The consultation is very informative and allows an opportunity to experience our laser. There is no obligation to purchase.
AM: Are you offering any special promotions right now?
DB: Yes, we have great promotions for our cli-ents. They can save up to 50% with our bundle packages. In addition we had excellent Aroos Show bridal party packages. If you missed us at the show call our center at (949) 545-6600 and ask for one of our laser advisors, they’ll have ad-ditional discounted packages.
AM: What are your future plans?
DB: We want every person who calls or walks into our center to achieve their dream of a smooth and hair free body. To do so, we have updated our machines with the best and latest technology available. Our Lumenis Light Sheer Duet lasers use a vacuum assist technology that allows for better results with less pain in shorter treatment times.
DermaBare(949) 545-6600 dermabare.com
130 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
Aroos Feature
Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 131
Aroos Feature
Weddin
g Repo
rtGeet� & S��
i iAugust 20, 2011
The couple: Geeta Dastyar & Sam Namiri
The location: The Universal Hilton
The flowers and color scheme: The color theme was ivory and gold. Amber lights highlighted the ivory and gold interests in the ballroom perfectly, from the ivory dance floor to the gold table linens; it also added overall warmth. The bride chose a simple calla lily bouquet and had stephanotis flow-ers placed randomly around it. It was a traditional choice with her own personal twist that Gina’s Flowers created beautifully. The bride’s ensemble: The bride said it was an easy choice. She went with an ivory Monique dress purchased from Kleinfelds New York City with silver Michael Kors shoes. To complement her high fashion gown, she decided to have an elegant low-do accented with a crystal flower pin purchased at the Henri Bendel store in New York City. Since she is a profes-sional makeup artist, she did her own makeup. The groom’s ensemble: A Canali tuxedo accented with a satin ivory tie. The coordinator: Neda Davari handled all of the rentals from lights to table linens to dance floor. She even had the very intricate cake made. The catering: By Bahador. The entertainment: The couple had many different age groups and cultures attending their wedding; this is why they decided to go with DJ Mohsen, who kept everyone on the dance floor all night. The honeymoon: One relaxing week in Antigua. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The officiant: Mobed Fariborz Shahzadi was their first and only choice to officiate their wedding. The sofreh: It was important to both the bride and groom to have the guests see the details of their Zoroastrian sofreh during the ceremony from all angles; this is why they opted to have their sofreh
table be multiple heights. – As told by Geeta & Sam.
130 i Aroos Magazine • Winter 2011 / 2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 131
Aroos Feature
Weddin
g Repo
rt
Geet� & S��i i
August 20, 2011
The couple: Geeta Dastyar & Sam Namiri
The location: The Universal Hilton
The flowers and color scheme: The color theme was ivory and gold. Amber lights highlighted the ivory and gold interests in the ballroom perfectly, from the ivory dance floor to the gold table linens; it also added overall warmth. The bride chose a simple calla lily bouquet and had stephanotis flow-ers placed randomly around it. It was a traditional choice with her own personal twist that Gina’s Flowers created beautifully. The bride’s ensemble: The bride said it was an easy choice. She went with an ivory Monique dress purchased from Kleinfelds New York City with silver Michael Kors shoes. To complement her high fashion gown, she decided to have an elegant low-do accented with a crystal flower pin purchased at the Henri Bendel store in New York City. Since she is a profes-sional makeup artist, she did her own makeup. The groom’s ensemble: A Canali tuxedo accented with a satin ivory tie. The coordinator: Neda Davari handled all of the rentals from lights to table linens to dance floor. She even had the very intricate cake made. The catering: By Bahador. The entertainment: The couple had many different age groups and cultures attending their wedding; this is why they decided to go with DJ Mohsen, who kept everyone on the dance floor all night. The honeymoon: One relaxing week in Antigua. The photography and videography: By Navid Studio. The officiant: Mobed Fariborz Shahzadi was their first and only choice to officiate their wedding. The sofreh: It was important to both the bride and groom to have the guests see the details of their Zoroastrian sofreh during the ceremony from all angles; this is why they opted to have their sofreh
table be multiple heights. – As told by Geeta & Sam.
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Directory: Orange County
Directory: San Diego
Adventures at Sea Yachts (866) 346-6741 boatcharter.comCoto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club (949) 858-4100 coto-de-caza.comDisney’s Fairytale Weddings (714) 956-6527 disneyweddings.comElectra Cruises (949) 723-1069 electracruises.comThe Grand Newport Plaza (949) 645-4050 turniprose.comHilton Waterfront Beach Resort (714) 845-8000 waterfrontresort.comHyatt Regency Irvine (949) 225-6642 irvine.hyatt.comHyatt Regency Newport Beach (949) 729-6062 newporter.hyatt.comThe Island Hotel (949) 760-4984 islandhotel.comMontage Resort & Spa (866) 271-6953 montagelagunabeach.comNewport Beach Marriott Hotel (949) 729-3508 marriott.comThe Plaza at 505 (714) 550-0040 jasoncatering.comRancho Capistrano (949) 347-4000 ranchocapistrano.org Rancho Las Lomas (949) 548-2444 rancholaslomas.comSt. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach (949) 234-3200 stregismb.comSeven Degrees (949) 376-1555 x106 seven-degrees.comSummit House (714) 671-3092 summithouse.netSurf & Sand Resort (949) 497-4477 surfandsandresort.com
Doubletree Hotel (619) 688-4024 doubletree.comFour Seasons Resort Aviara (760) 603-6800 fourseasons.comGrand Tradition (760) 728-6466 grandtradition.comHilton San Diego Resort (619) 275-8957 hilton.comHornblower Cruises & Events (619) 686-8700 hornblower.comL’Auberge del Mar Resort (800) 278-9901 laubergedelmar.comLos Willows (888) 731-9400 loswillows.comRiverwalk Golf Club (619) 296-1991 riverwalkgc.com
134 i Aroos Magazine Winter 2011/2012
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Winter 2011 / 2012 • Aroos Magazine i 135
Aroos Feature
Directory: Orange County
Directory: San Diego
Adventures at Sea Yachts (866) 346-6741 boatcharter.comCoto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club (949) 858-4100 coto-de-caza.comDisney’s Fairytale Weddings (714) 956-6527 disneyweddings.comElectra Cruises (949) 723-1069 electracruises.comThe Grand Newport Plaza (949) 645-4050 turniprose.comHilton Waterfront Beach Resort (714) 845-8000 waterfrontresort.comHyatt Regency Irvine (949) 225-6642 irvine.hyatt.comHyatt Regency Newport Beach (949) 729-6062 newporter.hyatt.comThe Island Hotel (949) 760-4984 islandhotel.comMontage Resort & Spa (866) 271-6953 montagelagunabeach.comNewport Beach Marriott Hotel (949) 729-3508 marriott.comThe Plaza at 505 (714) 550-0040 jasoncatering.comRancho Capistrano (949) 347-4000 ranchocapistrano.org Rancho Las Lomas (949) 548-2444 rancholaslomas.comSt. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach (949) 234-3200 stregismb.comSeven Degrees (949) 376-1555 x106 seven-degrees.comSummit House (714) 671-3092 summithouse.netSurf & Sand Resort (949) 497-4477 surfandsandresort.com
Doubletree Hotel (619) 688-4024 doubletree.comFour Seasons Resort Aviara (760) 603-6800 fourseasons.comGrand Tradition (760) 728-6466 grandtradition.comHilton San Diego Resort (619) 275-8957 hilton.comHornblower Cruises & Events (619) 686-8700 hornblower.comL’Auberge del Mar Resort (800) 278-9901 laubergedelmar.comLos Willows (888) 731-9400 loswillows.comRiverwalk Golf Club (619) 296-1991 riverwalkgc.com
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Directory: Los AngelesCalamigos Ranch (818) 889-9724 calamigos.comCalifornia Yacht Club (310) 823-4567 clubweddings.comCasa Del Mar (310) 581-5533 hotelcasadelmar.comCastel In Malibu (310) 456-5376 thegodmother.comCicada (213) 488-9951 cicadarestaurant.comThe Ebell Of Los Angeles (323) 931-1277 ebellla.comFantasea Yachts & Yacht Club (310) 827-2220 fantaseayachts.comHilton Los Angeles Airport (310) 410-6039 hilton.comHollywood Hotel (323) 850-6553 hollywoodhotel.netInn of the Seventh Ray (310) 455-1311 innoftheseventhray.comIvy House Gardens (310) 673-4000 wedding-locations.comMalibu West Beach Club (310) 457-7725 malibuwestbeachclub.comMandalay Palms Estate (310) 376-9797 locationconnection.comMarina Del Rey Marriott (310) 448-4890 gowestmarriott.com/weddingMillennium Biltmore Hotel (213) 612-1550 thebiltmore.comMountaingate Country Club (310) 476-6215 mtngatecc.comMusic Center (213) 972-7565 patinagroup.comNatural History Museum of L.A. (213) 763-3221 nhm.orgThe Olympic Collection Banquet (310) 575-4585 ocbanquet.comOviatt Penthouse (310) 286-2989 oviatt.comRancho Chiquita Del Mar (310) 456-7429 ranchochiquita.comRitz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey (310) 823-1700 ritzcarlton.comSheraton Delfina (310) 399-9344 sheratonsantamonica.comWestin Bonaventure Hotel (213) 624-1000 westin.com/bonaventure
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