Sheraton Cerritos Weddings and Special Events

Sahar and Babar held their Walima with us on October 1, 2012 in the Cerritos Ballroom and added a joyous pop of turquoise and hot pink to their festivities! I never get tired of seeing the beautiful outfits worn by my Southeast Asian Brides and Sahar certainly did not disappoint. Look at her posing like a professional model in the picture below prior to the grand entrance! The stage had a unique draped chiffon canopy that soared over the loveseat and armchairs, which made for a dramatic focal point.

I received a lovely e-card from the Bride and Groom after the wedding:

"Dear Cathy,

Words cannot express the joy that we feel remembering that you shared the beginning of our new life together. We would like to send our sincerest thanks for your love, and your support in our lives. Thank you again for doing an incredible job.

All our love, Sahar and Babar" 

Congratulations Sahar and Babar! It was a pleasure working with you to plan your special day and we wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

Outside Caterer: Shahnawaz Restaurant

Florals: Florenza Flowers

Decorations: Deepti, Deepti's Florals and Mandaaps

Backdrop and Stage: Liz, Lifetime Weddings

Photographer: Aman, Samson Productions

DJ: Sandeep Sandhu, Dhamaka Productions

Chaircovers & Sash: Glow Concepts

Makeup: Sajal Hubbs

After I saw the gorgeous photos that Aman from Samson Productions (www.samsonpro.com) took of Sophia and Omar's Wedding Reception on September 29, 2012, it just reinforces the fact of why we need professional wedding photographers! Enjoy these beautiful images and don't laugh at my non-professional photos posted in the previous entry!

Sophia and Omar held their wedding reception with us on September 29, 2012 in the Cerritos Ballroom and blew me away with the beauty of their decor and the abundance of food! It is hard to surprise me at a wedding since I feel like I've seen it all but when Nafisa Jangda of Nafees Occasions completed her work, my jaw dropped. The stage, instead of having a traditional draped backdrop, showcased hundreds of candles held by a custom build metal shelf that flickered throughout the night. The whole ballroom was draped in white chiffon and red and purple florals filled the room along with lilac satin table linens and silver chiavari chairs. There was a full buffet for guests to enjoy along with a lamb carving station and a crepe station for dessert in addition to the wedding cake.

We received the following email from Sophia after the wedding:

"Dear Cerritos Sheraton Staff,

Thank you all so much for helping me have my dream wedding, everything that day went absolutely perfect and I wouldn't change a single thing. My experience with this hotel was amazing from my very first meeting with Cathy, she was very helpful and extremely nice. Cathy went out of her way to make sure everything went smoothly, and always was super quick to respond whenever I had any questions. The rest of the staff was also very nice and helpful, including Cathy's assistant, the ballroom captain, and all of the servers that night. I can tell that the staff really cares about their clients, it did not feel like they were just coordinating some random stranger's wedding, but instead were genuinely interested in helping me have an amazing wedding, everyone I worked with at the Sheraton just had such a great attitude. The staff was definitely a huge factor as to why I chose this venue for my wedding and I'm so glad that I did. Thank you all so much for all of your hard work. I truly appreciate it.

Sincerely, Sophia"

Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge our hard work Sophia! It was our honor and pleasure to help bring your dream wedding to life and congratulations to you and Omar on a lifetime of happiness!

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING WEDDING VENDORS:

Outside Caterer: Shahnawaz Restaurant

Lamb Carving Station: Wahib's Middle Eastern Restaurant

Crepes: CrepeMaker

Fruit Station: Fariha, Sweet Fruit Arrangements

Cake: Lori, Rockwell's Bakery

Florist/Decorator/Lighting/Chiavari Chairs/Linens: Nafees Occasions

Photographer: Aman, Samson Productions

DJ/Projector & Screen: Baljit Sandhu, Dhamaka Entertainment

Ayaz and Saba held the Groom's Reception portion of their Pakistani wedding celebration with us on September 16, 2012 in the Crystal Ballroom. Instead of traditional Pakistani food that is customarily served, Ayaz wanted to give his guests a break from the norm and decided to serve delicious Mediterrean cuisine instead from a local restaurant. Ayaz planned the details of the event on his own and all the way from Michigan as well so I didn't even have a chance to meet him until the actual event day. Purple has been such a popular wedding color for us this year and Ayaz also used purple along with gold as his main color scheme. I love the use of a stage with a loveseat on it for the Bride and Groom to sit on and receive guests throughout the evening and also for photo sessions as well. The highlight of the day for me was meeting the beautiful bride Saba and seeing her in her gorgeous pink beaded gown that just popped against the purple backdrop.

Congratulations on your marriage Ayaz and Saba and we wish you a lifetime of happiness together! 

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING WEDDING VENDORS:

Outside Caterer: Mezza Mediterrean Grill, Cerritos

Wedding Planner: Jessica Merino, Your Lovely Linens

Chaircovers & Sash/Backdrop/Loveseat/Armchair/Overlays: Jessica Merino, Your Lovely Linens

Photographer: Emil Gasparian

Cake Bakery and Desserts: Portos

DJ: Sandeep Sandhu

Florist/Stage Decor: Dream Decor

Did you know that we can offer a traditional Chinese Banquet with 8 to 10 courses here at the Sheraton Cerritos? One of our preferred outside catering partners is Furiwa, reknowned Chinese restaurant and caterer located conveniently in Garden Grove. On July 28, 2012, we partnered up with Furiwa to offer Janice and Nora a delicious Chinese feast in our Cerritos Ballroom for their wedding reception. Furiwa sets up a portable kitchen on the Hotel premises, and cooks every course right before it's served so the food is absolutely fresh and authentic. I bet you are wondering what was served that night? Get ready...

1. Seven Star Cold Platter

2. Fish Tripe Crabmeat Soup

3. Candied Walnut Shrimp and Shrimp Ball

4. Seafood Braised Duck

5. Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet

6. Furiwa House Special Lobster

7. Garlic Noodles

8. Fresh Fruit

YUM! In addition to the amazing food, the Cerritos Ballroom was tastefully decorated in neutal shades of white and ivory with bright blue uplights as contrast. What made the night even more special was seeing Janice and Nora's 5 different Cambodian wedding outfits to honor Nora's cultural heritage. Outfit changes are typical in Asian weddings but Janice and Nora really took it to the next level with their 5 matching outfits and even had a fashion show during the event as well.

Congratulations Janice and Nora! We loved being a part of your fashion and food wedding extravaganza!

A spinning "lazy susan" for easy access to the delicious platters of Chinese Food!

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING VENDORS:

Outside Caterer: Furiwa (www.furiwa.com)

Day of Coordinator/Florist: Rose Rosales

Photographer: Natasha & Rickey of VNext Media

Videographer: Marlor of Scene Motions

Chaircovers/Backdrop/Swagging/Cake Table Decor/Lighting: Picture Perfect Decor

DJ/Lighting/Slideshow: Leo Gutierrez

Wedding Cake: Jenn Umayan

Tayaba and Zafar also held their wedding reception with us on July 8, 2012 in the Cerritos Ballroom, rounding off a busy July 4th weekend of weddings for us!

Tayaba had reserved her celebration with us prior to my tenure at the Sheraton Cerritos, so I didn't have the pleasure of meeting her until we started detailing her event. Luckily, I was blessed to have a detailed and organized Bride in Tayaba who knew exactly what she wanted! With her sisters by her side as the wedding coordinators, the wedding itself ran like clockwork.

When I walked into the completed Cerritos Ballroom on the day of the wedding, I was absolutely floored. Tayaba had outdone herself with the decor for the event. Red and gold colors glowed within every inch of the Cerritos Ballroom, from the two different red centerpieces and gold pintucked satin linens, to the gold chiavari chairs and red carpet leading up to the golden stage enhanced with red florals. Words truly cannot express how gorgeous the Cerritos Ballroom looked, so enjoy the photos I took below.

Tayaba left me a lovely thank you voicemail and also sent me the following email after the wedding:

"Hello Cathy,

I actually personally wanted to come by and say Thank You for being such a great support to make my wedding reception even more special. But as you know I had moved a day after my wedding. But my husband, and I,  and especially my family would like to Thank You So Much for all your guidance and support. My wedding was the first wedding in my family and the same with my husbands family. Therefore, we were not very familiar with everything and I was so happy and grateful to have you as my wedding coordinator as you guided me with all the vendors and what is available to me as the Bride and having my Reception at Sheraton. I am truly happy with my experience at Sheraton and especially having you as my coordinator Cathy. My family and I will consider Cerritos location for our future events. Thank you once again.

Sincerely, Tayaba and Zafar"

Congratulations Tayaba and Zafar! Thank you for allowing me to enjoy such beautiful wedding decor and to have the honor of working together. You didn't book your wedding here with me but we were meant to work together on your special day!

The beautiful Bride Tayaba with her beautiful sisters!

Thank you to the following wedding vendors:

Outside Caterer: Dara Khan, Shahnawaz Restaurant

Florist/Decorator/Lighting: Nafessa, Nafees Occasions

Photographer: Aman, Samson Productions

DJ/Slideshow: Kamal, Dhamaka Entertainment

Bakery and Cake Stand: Rossmoor Pastries

Rohit and Shivali held their Groom's Wedding Reception with us on July 1, 2012 in the Cerritos Ballroom. As customary with some outside catering weddings we host, I didn't even meet the Bride and Groom until the wedding day and planned the whole event with the Parents of the Groom, Romi and Rakesh along with the Sister of the Groom, Reema. At times, I joked with Reema that this was becoming more like her wedding celebration with all the decisions she had to make for the event! Besides being the planner, Reema also was the MC and even performed a dance as entertainment for guests.

The Cerritos Ballroom was decorated with tables featuring black linens with a white table runner, topped with purple floral centerpieces and surrounded by white chiavari chairs with black cushions. Purple uplighting warmed up the ballroom and enhanced the white draping that covered the entire back wall of the Cerritos Ballroom. A round white dancefloor flanked by white benches for guests to sit at while others danced completed the modern look of the event. The unique color combination used was definitely fun to admire.

Congratulations on your marriage Rohit and Shivali! With such a supportive family by your side, happiness is guaranteed for your life together.

Thank you to the following wedding vendors:

Outside Caterer: Rinku Bhatia, Dilli Cater

DJ/Florist/Decorator/Uplights/Photobooth/Table Runners/Chiavari Chairs/Round Dance Floor/Benches/Coffee Tables: Hetal, Kumba Entertainment

Photographer/Videographer: Sukhpal, Holly Cal Productions

Bakery: Diamond Bakery

Following the Bride's Reception, Musab and Zara held the Groom's Reception here with us on June 24, 2012 in the Cerritos Ballroom. To make sure that the ballroom looked completely different from the Bride's Reception just two day ago, Musab had the ballroom decorated in cooler shades of pinks and light purples. The stage for this celebration provided a completely different feel with its more modern white leather couches but was just as stunning. The Groom's family's restaurant catered both events and guests were treated to a variety of delicious ethnic cuisine.

Musab and Zara, it was a pleasure working with the two of you and your families to host your wedding weekend. Best wishes on a lifetime of happiness together!

Traditional Indian saris always amaze me with their beading and beauty. Zara also color coordinated her outfit to match the decor for the Groom's reception in pinks and purples!

Thank you to the following wedding vendors:

Outside Caterer: Ejaz Jilani, Karachi Tandoori Restaurant

Florist: Jamith's Flower Shop

Stage/Decorator: Abid of Dil Se

Photographer/Videographer: Abbas of AJ Studios Inc.

DJ: Bimal of Dhamaka Entertainment

We have been so busy hosting weddings here every weekend this Summer that I haven't had the chance to blog for you! Don't you worry - slowly but surely I will be sharing each and every wedding with you.

Zara and Musab held two weddings events here with us in the Cerritos Ballroom and the first was the Bride's Reception on June 22, 2012. Zara's parents, Sunny and Lourdes, wholeheartedly oversaw every single detail of this event for Zara to ensure she had an amazing celebration for their family and friends. The Cerritos Ballroom was beautifully decorated in shades of reds and golds and the highlight of the room was certainly the elaborate stage and walkway created for the Bride and Groom's processional. A variety of different floral centerpieces adorned the guest tables and the gobo projection of the Bride's and Groom's names crowned the wedding cake table. The whole ballroom seemed to glow with warmth and I remember marveling at how perfectly coordinated everything looked.

I received the following amazing thank you letter from Sunny and Lourdes after the celebration:

"Hello Cathy,

Just wanted to thank you and your staff for a great turnout on June 22, 2012 for Zara and Musab's wedding.  Our experience at Cerritos Sheraton was amazing, your staff was very attentive to all our needs.  Thank you Cathy for being there and making sure everything was as planned.  Thank you to your Banquet Captain, Barbara Reeder and your staff Juan V., Raul, Martha, Carlos, Joann, Debbie, Ruben and Victor, they could not have been anymore attentive. Barbara was always asking my husband and I if we needed anything.  

One of your servers in the early start of the event was very attentive to the set up of the tables, I noticed how she corrected another server on the set up of the tables and the favors. To me that told me that they really cared for a great turnout on our event and took pride on what they were doing and as a former server and banquet server myself, i know that these events to become routine.  Your team was amazing!!! We did not at anytime worried about anything and as you might know that is priceless. 

Cathy, please please thank all you staff that night on our behalf (Sunny, Zara and Lourdes). Thank you for being very attentive and always suggesting on ways to better the event. Your cheerful attitude really made a difference.  We would gladly recommend Cerritos Sherraton to our friends and family for future events.  

Once again thank you and your staff for such wonderful service.  Thank you, Sunny, Zara and Lourdes"

The Groom's procession with all of his family members.

The Bride making her grand entrance with her immediate family. Don't you love how Zara, her mother and little sister are all color coordinated in red? 

Thank you to the following wedding vendors:

Outside Caterer: Ejaz Jilani, Karachi Tandoori Restaurant

Florist/Decorator: Abid of Dil Se

Photographer/Videographer: Abbas of AJ Studios Inc.

DJ: Bimal of Dhamaka Entertainment

Bakery: Torrance Bakery

Adriana and Shazan had a multicultural wedding celebration with us at the start of the Memorial Holiday Weekend on May 25, 2012 where the Bride's Mexican heritage fused with the Sri Lankan Groom's. The happy couple choose to serve Indian food to all their guests which allowed quite a few novices to the food the opportunity to try this delicious cuisine.

After an initial scare with the possibility of light rain on the wedding day(!), Adriana and Shazan were eventually married underneath clear skies by an Imam. Instead of the traditional standing at the altar, the Bride, Groom and Imam were all seated instead, which I'm sure Adriana appreciated in her heels!

"Pretty in Pink" was the theme of the day as the Fountain Venue and the Cerritos Ballroom were decorated with an abundance of pink florals. I couldn't help but feel giddy with excitement as the decor was being set up since pink is one of the colors I used for my own wedding! Champagne linens, hanging votive candles and vibrant pink uplights rounded out the look for the Cerritos Ballroom which gave it a romantic and warm glow. The guest tables were named after meaningful locations for the Bride and Groom ranging from Trincomalee to Hermosillo to Santa Monica, which personalized the venue for the guests even more.

The first time I met Adriana and Shazan, it was at our Bridal Open House last October as when I joined the Sheraton Cerritos, their wedding had already been booked at the Hotel. I couldn't help but tell them what a good looking couple they made and their wedding day was no exception!

Congratulations Adriana and Shazan! The two of you make such a beautiful couple and I just loved the stunning Bridal Gown and touch of pink on the Groom's tie.

This wedding cake table was to die for - the lace, the crystal brooch embellishments and wedding cake - all in shades of pink!

A special thank you goes out to the following wedding vendors, especially Naomi, Kerim and Steven, whom I've had the pleasure of working with at previous weddings, especially at my last Hotel. It was a joy to work with them again here at the Sheraton Cerritos!

WEDDING PLANNER: Naomi Takahashi, DNT Events (Wedding Coordinator extraordinare who made sure the event was executed to perfection along with her dedicated staff - all while smiling the whole time!)

FLORIST: Kerim Albanes, My Wedding Blooms (His work never ceases to amaze me - the pictures speak for themselves!

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Lam Photography (Google his website and see his images - I can't wait to see his work on this wedding!)

DJ & LIGHTING: Tim Coy, Pacific Events

BACKDROP, LINENS AND CHIAVARI CHAIRS: Glow Concepts

WEDDING CAKE: Helena Wirth Cakes

OUTSIDE CATERER: Pickles Indian Cuisine Restaurant

On Sunday, May 6, 2012, the Sheraton Cerritos had our most lively outside catering wedding to date! Jignesh and Roshni held the Groom's Reception portion of their wedding celebration here with us and the sheer number of their friends that came out for the festivities kept the Hotel rocking until the wee hours of the morning. I had the fortune of planning the event with the Sister of the Groom, Dipali, who orchestrated the entire event like a seasoned wedding planner. She even acted as Master of Ceremony for part of the event, and watching her rehearse her speech before the event started was truly inspiring. The Cerritos Ballroom was decorated in deep shades of royal blue and accented with white satin butterfly chaircovers, and the whole effect indeed had a "royal" feel to it!

Congratulations Jignesh and Roshni! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

Close up of the beautiful stage in purple and royal blue!

Thank you for the following vendors for making Jignesh and Roshni's wedding a success!

Outside Caterer: India Restaurant of Artesia

Florist and Decorator: Manjit's Flower Cottage

Photographer/Videographer: AJ Studios Inc.

Bakery: April's Cakes

DJ: Vik Dee Productions

Wedding Season has officially started and a big congratulations to Nadia and Omar! While I was on vacation in Shanghai attending a wedding myself, Nadia and Omar held the Bride's Reception of their wedding festivities here with us on April 22, 2012 in our grand Cerritos Ballroom. Since I wasn't able to take photos of the event myself, I wanted to share with you their engagement photos to show you how adorably cute this couple is!

Nadia's Father Zahid was my main contact for the event and he was thorough and detailed to the very end to ensure that his beautiful daughter had just as beautiful of an event. While I was so disappointed I wasn't able to see their event happen, I knew that my colleagues would take good care of them on the day of the wedding! I heard that Nadia was breathtaking on the wedding day and the dress she wore was so intricate with handbeading, it must have weighed 20 pounds!

Below were all the vendors that made Nadia and Omar's event a success:

Day of Wedding Coordinator/DJ/Lighting: Kamal Sandhu

Florist: Abid of Dil Se

Photographer/Videographer: Yusef Keekeebhai of YKKB

Outside Caterer: Shahnawaz Restaurant

Congratulations again Nadia and Omar! I look forward to seeing your wedding photos and sharing them with our blog readers! 

Last night, the Sheraton Cerritos had the honor of hosting the beautiful wedding reception of Shailiana and Karim in our Crystal Ballroom! The Groom's sister, Ashraf, coordinated, planned and hosted the whole event as a gift to her little brother. The Crystal Ballroom looked truly stunning and I joked with Ashraf that she should start a new career as a wedding planner! Besides the gorgeous decor by Manjit's Flower Cottage, the evening featured delicious food by At Watan of Hawthorne and even Bollywood Fusion dancers. In the meantime, here's a sneak peak of the wedding from my own trusty little Canon camera.

Congratulations Shailiana and Karim! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together and thank you for allowing us to celebrate with you.

The Crystal Ballroom in the midst of set up...

The finished product!

Thank you to the following wedding vendors:

Outside Caterer:  Al Watan Restaurant

Florist: Manjit’s Flower Cottage

Photographer/Videographer: Payal Photo and Video

DJ and Lighting: Sandeep of Fusion Sounds

Linens, Chaircovers and Cake Stand: Stephanie's Linens

Dancers: Sapna and Kavita of Karmagraphy Group

Cake Bakery: Rossmoor Pastries

Wow! Can you believe that we're almost finished with the first month of 2012? January has flown by with an unbelievable amount of inquiries we've received for weddings and other special events. If you are interested in the Sheraton Cerritos for your own celebration, definitely contact myself or Yazmin soon as our 2012 dates are booking up fast. We are already even booking into 2013!

Switching gears, I wanted to share with you a "Real Wedding" that had the distinction of being our last wedding of 2011. Due to our convenient location in the middle of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as being the closest full service Hotel to Little India in Artesia, the Sheraton Cerritos is host to many fabulous multi-ethnic and Indian Weddings. One of the benefits of holding your ethnic celebration here with us is that we permit the use of ethnic outside caterers. Julie and Prasanth came from two different backgrounds but decided to hold an Indian Wedding Reception here with us to celebrate Prasanth’s cultural heritage. Take a look at some of their wedding day images complete with a gorgeous mandap (ceremony altar) and a horse and carriage for the baraat (Groom’s processional).

The Mother of the Groom was also kind enough to send the following thank you note after the wedding:

"Dear Cathy Cheng, Lisa Lifton and All Staff at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel, Thank you for providing finest, friendly & comfortable services for Prasanth and Julie's wedding reception on November 19, 2011. Thank you again for everything."

Photographer: Kristine Marie Ambrose www.ambroseweddings.com

Outside Indian Caterer: Woodlands of Chatsworth www.woodlandsinla.com

Florist and Mandap: Deepti's Floral Designs and Mandaps www.deeptisfloralandmandaps.com

Horse and Carriage: Enchanted Carriages www.yourenchantedcarriage.com

Photos Courtesy of Ambrose Weddings