Toast Santa Barbara

Sunny 70th birthday Celebration!!!

2012-03-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ribbons and memories were just a few things that made up this birthday extravaganza. This birthday was particularly special to Toast because the birthday girl just happened to be Kim's mommy. We had quite the experience fighting the wind over which way the ribbons would lay but it turned out beautiful and cheery! Full of bright oranges and yellows and wonderful pictures that captured the guest of honor's beautiful life throughout the years. We hope she enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Happy Birthday Cyndy!

Santa Barbara Magazine Best of 2012

2012-03-05T10:56:00.004-08:00

In case you missed it, be sure to check out our article in of Santa Barbara mag's "Best of 2012"!!!

Birthday Sneak Peek

2012-02-27T14:53:00.002-08:00

So today is my wonderful mother's 70th (!!!!!) birthday.

Her guests were in shock when they received the invitation.

Some truly thought there had been a misprint on the actual age of the birthday girl.

Anyway.....we celebrated my mom with a get-together of friends and family this past weekend. I can't wait to share the pictures with you from the lovely afternoon, and tell you all about my battles with wind, bamboo and ribbon....but until then...a little sneak peek of some of the flowers that are still hanging around the Toaster...

Happy Birthday Mom!

Cheers!

Read me a love story....

2012-02-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air. Whether it's a Valentine soiree with girlfriends or an intimate dinner for two, Toast has the perfect design just for you. Love letters and romantic stories have filled our imaginations of a love that could be and we found inspiration for the perfect setting of such a love's beginnings on this little estate in Goleta, CA. On the property there was a vintage building lovingly named "the library" which we thought was the perfect backdrop for our love story inspired table.

A little ways down the road from this building we found a forest wonderland that was picturesque and beautiful and lent itself to inspire our fanciful feasting table full of sweets and treats.

We had such a great time creating inspiration boards and contacting vendors to help inspire these beautiful tables, that would create the perfect event for any Valentine's day celebration. Hopefully they inspire you to remember the most romantic of love stories and remind you to celebrate with the ones you love this Valentine's day.

Cheers to you this Valentine's day!

Vendor List:

Table decor and flowers: TOAST (us!)

Cakes and cupcakes: Enjoy! Cupcakes

Linen: LaTavola

Photography: Megan Moore

Beautiful Blush

2012-02-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

I just came across this post by amazing photographer, Tanya Malott....I was so thrilled to see these images....enjoy. The bride and groom were wonderful to work with, the groom had a very clear what he wanted when it came to the look and feel of their wedding! I had a great lunch at Los Arroyos with the couple discussing their floral details! :)

(And yes, her dress was absolutely exquisite!)

Cheers!

Kim

http://tanyamalott.blogspot.com/2011/08/love-in-santa-barbarathe-story-in.html

2012-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

Good Tuesday Morning! It was such a fun treat to open my computer to find this lovely little bit on Style Me Pretty! This couple, especially the bride, was such a joy to work with! She was beautiful inside and out! Cheers to Victoria and Jordan!

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2012/01/31/santa-barbara-wedding-by-team-hair-and-makeup-mi-belle-inc/

We were on Ruffled!!!

2012-01-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

We are soo excited to announce that one of our weddings was featured on the Ruffled blog!

Be sure to check it out!

http://ruffledblog.com/vintage-inspired-santa-barbara-wedding/

Cheers!

Cheers to our favorite color!

2012-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Voted on as color of the year Tangerine Tango!

A personal favorite of ours here in the TOAST office. We love love love this color!

We have a feeling that this is going to be a big color in the new year and we can't wait to use it in our arrangements and in our inspiration boards and we especially can't wait to see how our future brides may use it in their upcoming weddings! We feel so inspired by this fresh and fun color we are bursting at the seams with ways to incorporate it into our every day creations!

We look forward to showing you all the ways we use it!

Cheers!

2012-01-05T09:59:00.001-08:00

So...TOAST world headquarters are currently located in the re-finished garage of my current home (a should-have-been-tear-down we purchased just over a year ago as another one of our 'project' houses- this is the 4th house my husband and I have done since we have been married). We drywalled, installed lights, put in French doors, painted the floor white (maybe not the best choice- but it looked awesome at the time), put a huge seagrass rug in- it looks great- you would never know it was a garage except for the garage door....trying to figure out a way to un-gargage door the garage door....will keep you posted. I will put up pictures of the wonderful space soon- as soon as I get my Christmas decor put away.

In the meantime- I wanted to share a bit more about the surroundings of TOAST and part of what makes us who we are. I clearly have a thing for flowers and when we moved into this house it was void of anything flower-y anywhere. There was only a gopher ridden field of weeds. So a year and LOTS of gopher wire later, I am looking to transform the beds of weeds into beautiful gardens. Part of my New Years to do list is to gardenize the house (yes, a word, I'm sure). After reading that daffodils and other bulbs are a natural deterrent for gophers, I went a little crazy and bought a few bulbs- well, 600 of them. It sounded like a great idea at the time- until I started digging the holes for them. I've only managed to get about 100 of them in the ground and my arms hurt. 500 more to go. SH.

Hopefully, by the time I am done, the dirt around the TOAST office will be covered in gorgeous flowers...including the 25 David Austin Roses that I bought last year hoping we would be ready to plant them last spring...they sat in a pot for a year. Above- the pics of the bulbs in their 'before' state and then the hopeful pictures of what they will become. And some of my favorite roses....

Cheers!

Hello 2012

2012-01-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

I ADORE, no really, ADORE New Years.

I also love Mondays. I love mornings.

There is something rejuvinating about the opportunity

to press the re-start button and have a clean palate in front of you

to do well....whatever.

This year, I am so excited to see where TOAST finds itself.

Last year was a huge year for new ventures, learning experiences,

unique challenges,

incredible events and bonding with an incredible team.

As we send a special team member off on a new adventure

(she will be missed greatly),

we are starting new adventures and planning new events right here in the TOAST home offices.

This is the year for learning (I am ALWAYS learning - even though sometimes I think I've had it with learning...) and continuing to improve ourselves, our services and our design.

Here's to 2012! Cheers!

~Kim

(ps. the photo is a shot from one of our very last arrangements of 2011,

delivered to a special client....)

Megan and David's wedding

2011-12-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

We were so happy to be a part of Megan and David's wedding day. This venue is one of our favorites and seeing the Bride's reaction when we delivered her flowers was an absolute treat. She was such a fabulous bride to work with and it was pleasure to be a part of their wedding day.

Cheers!

Wedding Vendors:

Venue: Santa Barbara Historical Museum
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Hair and Makeup: Hair by Kristina Feher; Makeup by Jenny at TEAM Hair & Makeup
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaid Dress: Stone Cold Fox
Groom Suit: Burberry

Floral Design: Toast Santa Barbara
Photography: Braedon Photography
Invitations/Paper Goods: Minted.com
Cake: Enjoy Cupcakes
Music: Durell Coleman Band & DJ Albert Rosario
Catering: Baby Blues BBQ

Event Planner: Tonya Szele, Soigne Productions

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas....

2011-12-12T11:02:00.000-08:00

1. A snow christened bride.
2. Oh what a fabulous snow covered Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
3. Ski off into a fabulous wedding party.
4. Snuggle up with those you love this season.
5. While sipping out of those famous red cups, and be sure to check out their 12 days of gift giving.
6. Wrapping and gift-giving are such a fun part of this season
7. Take some time to bake this season with this recipe for delicious gingerbread cookies
8. We are loving adding white peonies to our arrangements this month.
9. Who doesn't love some candy cane goodness? What a cute addition to your Holiday cards.

Hail, really?

2011-11-11T15:17:00.001-08:00

Setting up for a wedding on the beach, Kim and I had a little hail storm interrupt us.

Happy 11-11-11 Wedding Day!

Cheers!

Can't believe it's already November, can you?

2011-11-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Fall has finally arrived and not a moment too soon. With November sneaking up on us so quickly, it is lovely to have all the changing colors and crisp cool air to wake up to in the morning.

Here are few photographs of what is inspiring us this month!

Cheers!

1.Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, but really what a great way to decorate, with ginormous pumpkins.
2.This cute little bouquet is from a wedding we did this past summer with fun pops of orange courtesy of Stacy Millet Photography.
3. What a fantastic recipe for mulled apple cider, perfect for those cold November nights.
4. How adorable are these little indians? Found on our fabulous photographer friend's website here.
5. Such a fun table top for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
6. How fabulous does a cozy cup of coffee taste on a crisp fall morning.
7. Another fun taste of fall arrangement we've done for an equally lovely wedding.
8. All these lovely leaves make us want to rake them into piles just so we can jump in them! And couldn't pass up the opportunity to throw a little bit of orange in there and whats more fun than an orange bug to ride around in!

October wedding

2011-11-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

This bouquet was done for one of the sweetest brides, Megan Dowd. This was just a taste of her classy style. Her bouquet was wrapped in black lace to match her black and white decor. We are excited to see what her photographer captured. For now this is just a little teaser.

Cheers!

Tanya and Dylan's Enchanting Garden wedding

2011-11-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Tanya and Dylan's garden wedding was enchanting. From the china that Tanya collected to all of her individually made fabric banners. This wedding was gorgeous because of all the beautiful touches the bride herself made for her big day. These beautiful photographs were taken by Joielala Photographie. The ceremony itself took place at the Santa Barbara Mission. The reception site was at the beautiful Gardens of La Bella Vita . The fun photobooth was provided by Scott Lawrence. The catering was done by Pure Joy. The invites and all paper goods were provided by Paper and Thread. Tanya and her lovely bridesmaid's makeup was provided by Kacee Geoffroy and all hair was done by Vanity hair studio. All desserts were provided by the ever delicious Crushcakes. And last but not least, Classic Party rentals provided all of the lovely rentals. We had a great team for this wedding and wish Tanya and Dylan many happy years!

Cheers!

Storyteller

2011-10-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yeehaw! Welcome to Couture Country!

At the annual Storyteller Children's Center Gala this past weekend,
we put on our dancing boots and kicked up our spurs to help raise funds for this amazing Santa Barbara non profit. In case you didn't know, Storyteller provides essential early childhood education and care to homeless, underprivileged, and at risk children and their families. They do so much for our community!

We began the night with some whiskey sours and a silent auction in front of some Old West building facades at the Santa Barbara Carriage Museum. Then, guests had dinner under the glow of wagon wheel chandeliers, and bid on live auction items. Dinner was followed by a boot scootin' boogie with a live band, and the after party was complete with a mechanical bull to entertain all!

We had a great time at Couture Country and hope you enjoy some of the fun photos we were able to capture. It was quite the bonanza!

October

2011-10-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

There is so much to love about this dreamy month!

{1} As sad as we are to put away flip flops and sundresses, Anthropologie's pencil skirts, cozy coats, and tall boots make the transition to cooler-weather fashion delightful.

{2} It's wine harvest in one of our favorite local wedding spots-- the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, where the native foliage bursts into vibrant hues.

{3} The Santa Barbara coast unfortunately doesn't get the show of fall colors of our wine country backyard, so we look for the little signs of fall. (photo found here)

{4} Cooler temperatures + squash season = The best soups of the year. Our goal of the month is to try this recipe.

{5} It's not just wine and squash harvest time-- October brings plenty of lavender, too. Check out this amazing lavender wedding.

{6} Red, orange, and yellow trees provide an unbelievably gorgeous backdrop for a rustic look. (photo found here)

{7} Stacks of wood get us ready for evenings beside the fireplace. If you'd rather just hang it on your wall, though, go here.

{8} Pumpkin Bread! Need we say more? Check out the recipe.

Victoria and Jordan Simmonds

2011-09-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Toast team is beyond excited at the photographs from Mi Belle of Victoria and Jordan's beautiful candlelit wedding at the Santa Barbara Historic Museum. With the help of Team hair and makeup and Gavin Roy, this event was incredible! This couple was so fun to work with and their love for each other was evident in their smiles and stolen moments together.

Congratulations Jordan and Victoria!

Cheers!

Petite Perfection!

2011-09-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

This little gem is a personal arrangement that brought joy to a client's face this morning.

Hope you had a fabulous day!

Cheers!

sweet summer

2011-09-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

Although it's September, it seems like the middle of summer in Santa Barbara. The days are warm, the sun shines brightly, and we have lots of beautiful blooms in the office. Kim put this little beauty together just the other day. The white garden roses and hydrangea are lush and lovely, while an artichoke hints of the harvest that is soon to come. We hope the sun is shining wherever you are!

A storybook wedding to remember..

2011-09-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

pictures courtesy of Stacy Millet Photography

Fun and fanciful, the wedding of Randall and Travis was full of whimsy and wonder. This fabulous wedding was filled with the fun spirit of both Randall and Travis, from the fun colors to the fabulous little details.

We were so happy to be a part of their day!

Cheers!

perfect prints

2011-08-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to share with everyone an article from do it yourself magazine.

It features our go-to gals for custom stationary of all kinds--Susanne and Lindsey at Pica Press.

We love working with Pica for all of our events. These ladies have such creative vision!

Everything they design is so LOVELY.

It's even wrapped in the cutest way when you pick it up...we love picking up our business cards :)

We're so happy they were featured...they deserve it!

Anyways, here's the article and please check them out for all your paper goods.

www.picapress.com

Summer fun for the Toast ladies!

2011-07-28T13:28:00.001-07:00

The ladies of Toast have been traveling the world

gleaning inspiration from all around the globe.

Kim was having fun in the sun in Hawaii

While Josslynn was trotting all over Europe

And Tiff was down under in Australia.

(1,2,3)

Hope you are enjoying your summer as much as we are!

Cheers!

Santa Barbara Magazine Party

2011-06-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

We are so excited to be doing the Santa Barbara Magazine Polo Party this weekend!
This is just a taste of our design inspiration!

Cheers!

Christened with a bouquet!

2011-06-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

The first day in our new office has found us hard at work. We are busy flowering away. So we began our first day with multiple arrangements. What a bright and beautiful way to christen the new space!

Cheers!

Bittersweet goodbye...

2011-05-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

As we say goodbye to our store front, we are still doing last minute meetings and beautiful bouquets. The shelves are emptying and the vases are being packed up as we prepare to move onto our next adventure. We will being moving back to our home office where we will still be creating wonderful arrangements for delivery and planning wonderful ways to celebrate life's occasions!

So please keep updated by checking our
website: www.toastsantabarbara.com
blog: www.toastsantabarbara.blogspot.com
or by sending us an email
info@toastsantabarbara.com
or dropping us a line
(805) 960-2330

Cheers!!

And We Danced...

2011-03-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

What does neon colors, bright lights, and martini bars make you think of?

Well, it makes me think of the fun, fabulous, and florescent decade otherwise known as the 80's!

I'm in the midst of planning an 80's cocktail party with chic twist, and just thought I'd share my design board with you all.

It's going to be a casual soiree, based out of our client's outdoor patios.

I can't wait, and would love to know your ideas :)

Cheers!

spring is in the air...

2011-02-26T16:10:00.000-08:00

the sun is shining in in santa barbara again and we are so happy :)

here's a peek at what is inspiring us for spring...

what are you dreaming about this spring?

Valentine's day extravaganza!

2011-02-25T16:14:00.000-08:00

Well, we started the day with red roses and pink peonies and these were just a few of

the beautiful arrangements that were created!

We ended the day with a white wedding bouquet. What better way to celebrate
this day then to get married! We hope your day was full of pretty flowers
and lovely love stories.
Cheers!

And ended with a white wedding bouquet!

Congratulations Ashley!

2011-01-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

We are so excited and proud to say that a wedding Ashley designed and planned has been featured on Once Wed!

The affair took place in September in the Santa Ynez Valley and was so stunning--it is one of our favorites of 2010.

Please check out the beautiful photos (by the talented Jose Villa) and the article on the Once Wed blog. You can also see some of the photos on our website.

Cheers to our fantastic team!

Friday floral fabulousness....

2011-01-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!!!

This week we recieved a very unique floral order and produced this beautiful creation. Full of different textures and dimensions. This arrangement has fragrant white roses, beautiful hydrangea, cambridge tulips and cabbages! Such beauty, all in one arrangement! We have so much fun at our store! Come join in on the fun!

Cheers!

Tulip Extravaganza!

2011-01-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

The tulips have arrived and are beautifying our lovely little store front. We are surrounded by a variety of tulip perfection in beautiful shades of pink, purple, yellow and orange. We can't help but smile at their beauty. Come in and experience the excitement for yourself!

Cheers!

Toast to a New Year!

2011-01-14T15:24:00.001-08:00

A beautiful beginning to the new year starting off with some adorable arrangements!!! Here are a few of our fantastic florals. Cheers to all of you! Let's make this new year a good one!

Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

We hope you are enjoying the holiday season.

There's nothing quite like...

hot chocolate by the fireplace...

perfectly wrapped presents...

(photo courtesy of style me pretty)

and of course, beautiful winter flowers!

From all the ladies at TOAST,

wishing you a wonderful holiday filled with much laughter and beauty.

Cheers!

introducing TOAST flower academy...

2010-11-30T13:59:00.000-08:00

Winter Whites

Join us at our design studio for a workshop in which you'll create your own holiday arrangement! Anemones, ranunculus, amaryllis and winter greens (just to name a few) will impress your guests or make the perfect gift. We'll sip on some champagne and nibble holiday treats while making your floral fantasies reality!

When: Friday, December 17th at 10:00 A.M.

Where: TOAST Design Studio, 1324 State Street Suite M

What: Workshop includes floral design lesson, flowers, container, and necessary supplies

Cost: $150 (per person, class capacity is six students)

If you'd like to sign up, please email: tiffany@toastsantabarbara.com or call 805.960.2330

Friday Fabulous!

2010-11-12T15:46:00.001-08:00

This week at Toast we have been inspired by the change in seasons. The chill in the air, the smell of chimney smoke, the warmth of Starbuck's seasonal cups. All have led to the wonderful creation that is this week's Friday flower arrangement. Full of the fabulous maroon dhalias, the swirl of greens and blues in the peacock feathers with pops of purple lisianthus. So full and vibrant! An overwhelming abundance of brillance. We hope you enjoy!

Cheers!

Toast Design studio knows how to celebrate

2010-11-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

The champagne was poured,

the flutes were filled,

and the doors were opened

the time for toasts and celebration began!

A beautiful start to Toast's new venture!

Cheers!

Sneak Peak: Toast Grand Opening Party!

2010-11-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

A sneak peak at the Toast Opening Party! Last night we celebrated the beginning of this new venture and of course what better way to celebrate than to throw a party? The invitiations were sent, the food was bought, the decor was arranged and we waited for the first guests to arrive. It was a wonderful evening, filled with champagne, cheese and cupcakes. Stay tuned for more pictures of the celebration underway.

Cheers!

Friday Florals!

2010-11-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

This week we once again we have a beautiful arrangement to celebrate the birth of another little one. This autumn arrangement is full of all the colors of Fall, from the dahlias to the roses to the calla lilies in their wooden container this is the perfect celebration for new life and a beautiful season.

Hope you had a wonderful week!

Cheers!

Friday Flowers!

2010-10-29T15:47:00.001-07:00

This beautiful arrangement was created for a baby shower this weekend. Its such a fun arrangement of hydrangeas, tulips, orchids, magnolia branches and kiwi vines. A beautiful and whimiscal variety of different flowers for a wonderful celebration of bringing a little bundle of joy into the world. We hope you enjoy!

Cheers!

Romeo, oh romeo...

2010-10-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

We have found your Juliet.
A week of new beginnings. With the launch of our new website we are also going to do a new blog feature each week called the "Flower of the week." This week we have the beautiful flower called "Juliet." It is a gorgeous peony garden rose, full of elegance and beauty. We are in love with it!!! If you would like to order some please phone our new store!!!

Cheers!

new website!

2010-10-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hello TOAST lovers,

We just relaunched our website.

Please visit and let us know what you think.

www.toastsantabarbara.com

Cheers!

wonderful wednesday

2010-08-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

just thought we'd share some flowers with all of you on this beautiful day.

Kim created this gorgeous arrangement for her best friend this morning...

flowers make for a perfect birthday surprise :)

A TOAST to one of our own!

2010-07-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to announce one of the lovely women here at Toast tied the knot! Dayna celebrated this beautiful affair in San Diego, CA. We were so blessed to be a part of her wonderful day. And of course we were in favor of her beautiful color scheme! It was a gorgeous day full of sunshine, tearful toasts and choreographed dances. Dayna looked stunning as she walked down the aisle to meet her groom. The guests enjoyed all the personal touches that Dayna added to her wedding with her guestbook full of pictures and personalized table cards, there were so many stories to learn about Dayna and Coleman's relationship.

Congratulations Dayna and Coleman!

We are so happy for you both!

Cheers!

a garden wedding...

2010-07-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, TOAST had the wonderful opportunity to coordinate Eric & Gabby's lovely garden wedding. It was held at a beautiful estate in Montecito on a sunny and perfect Saturday.

We loved working with Eric & Gabby--they are an amazing couple, a timeless tribute to true love and lasting romance. They are the sweetest, and we were so impressed by the creative elements they chose for their wedding. Aren't these the most adorable flower girls you've ever seen?

We wish them the best as they begin their life together--may it be filled with lots of dancing & laughter!

Photos By: Nick Norwood

Sneak Peak~ Summer time wedding

2010-06-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here is just a taste of the adorable couple, Gabrielle and Eric, having a good time splashing around in Santa Barbara before their big day.

Hope you enjoy!

Cheers!

photo credit: Nick Norwood

Thing 1 and Thing 2, what a wonderful party for you!

2010-05-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

Arts and crafts and tons of fun! But who can go wrong with a Dr.Seuss pun? Cupcakes and frosting and glue galore. This is not a party that could be called a bore. As you can tell were stuck on rythmes, but who wouldn't be when you're having a good time. This Dr. Seuss inspired party was a blast! So much fun putting together each of the Thing 1 and Thing 2s for the little ones. Who doesn't love a good Dr. Seuss book?

Hope you love our Cat in the Hat party!

Cheers!

just our cup of tea

2010-05-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were little, and you would play dress up and have tea parties with your most-loved stuffed animals? We do :) There's nothing quite as charming as little teapots, mini sandwiches and snacks, and desserts galore. TOAST loved planning this little party...it was like revisiting our childhood dreams. Enjoy :)

Cheers!

A Night at the Casbah to Benefit CALM

2010-05-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Recently TOAST designed & planned a fundraiser for CALM of Santa Barbara. CALM is a non-profit organization "whose mission is to prevent, assess, and treat child abuse by providing comprehensive, culturally competent, services for children, families and adults CALM offers a safe, non-judgmental, caring and strength-based environment to heal and increase family well being." We are so happy to be involved with such a wonderful organization!

We loved designing the Moroccan theme and creating a colorful & festive atmosphere! All the photos were taken by the amazing & talented Bridger Clements. Bridger primarily does fashion photography but generously lent us his skills for the fundraiser, and we are so grateful! Additionally the lovely flowers were designed with the help of Jocelyn Kellogg of Beautiful Day Productions. A big thanks to everyone who helped to make this amazing event possible!

Cheers!

Butterflies & Bullfrogs Part II

2010-05-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hello All :)

A few weeks ago we mentioned that we were busily putting together a butterflies & bullfrogs themed birthday party, and it all came together this past weekend. The party was magical--we LOVE children's parties. There is something so whimsical about youth and spring time that TOAST absolutely adores.

Isn't the table so sweet? We love the little chairs.

here's a close-up of the table decor. butterflies, mini carrots, daisies, and bullfrogs, oh my!

We filled the trees with larger-than-life butterflies and flowers!

Last but not least, we made sure that the mothers' luncheon table was in full bloom.

What a wonderful party! Happy Birthday Amelia!

We couldn't have been happier to be a part of Amelia's special day. She made our day even better when she asked us, in all her youthful sincerity, "Why is my party over?"
Awwwww. May everyday be a celebration :) Cheers!

January wedding!

2010-04-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Beautiful wedding we did over on the wonderful Elizabeth Messina's Kiss the Groom blog.
What a wonderful way to start a Monday!
Cheers!

Storyteller Children's Center

2010-04-21T15:27:00.001-07:00

Last October, TOAST had the wonderful opportunity to design the annual Storyteller Children's Center fundraiser. Storyteller is a wonderful non-profit organization located here in Santa Barbara, and they are dedicated to providing quality, tuition-free early childhood education for homeless and at-risk children in Santa Barbara County, as well as comprehensive support services for their families.

It was a magical underwater affair, deemed SPLASH! Here are some photos from the event, taken by the talented Mary Jane.

We are excited and honored to be working with Storyteller again this year, and will soon unveil what this year's fundraiser has in store!

Butterflies and Bullfrogs

2010-04-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

A taste of Toast inspiration.

Media Mention!

2010-03-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

TOAST loves C Magazine! C embodies all things California--style, wit, beauty. We are so grateful to have been mentioned in C Magazine's recent special edition--C Weddings. Please run out and buy a copy! Here's a little preview.

C Weddings Cover

a glance at the page

a close up on the snippet about us

We are so happy to be featured in such a wonderful magazine! Many thanks to Raya Carlisle for the beautiful photographs featured on this page.

Toast weekend fun!

2010-03-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, I had the wonderful joy of celebrating my niece's 1st birthday this past weekend. It was a perfect family gathering with Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Cousins and a couple of close friends. Not too big. A few balloons and cupcakes. Just perfect. I had to share my favorite part of the afternoon... the birthday girl's dad had an inkling to have a pinata (every kid party has a pinata of course) so pinata there was. A giant #1 in pink and white. It was fluffy and frilly and suspended from the branches of an old oak tree. The babies took their turns swinging (with a golf club - dad is still new to the pinata scene and wasn't quite prepared with the proper "bat") and then my boys (age 9 and 7, seasoned pinata professionals and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to golf clubs) pretty much decimated the cute #1. And here is the best part... spilling from the insides of this darling pinata were not only the requisite tiny candies... but something for everyone present at the party - adults and children alike. What a BRILLIANT idea. You'll see in the photo, just a few of the wonderful treasures that had been tucked inside ... Surf wax for the surfers, trashy magazines for the moms, hand selected favorite candies, juice boxes for the little guests and juice (plastic) bottles for the adults...

Cheers!

Kim

Tuesday Toast!

2010-03-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

We are so excited about the 30th anniversary we are planning. We recently sent out these beautiful invitations and we just wanted to say thank you to Pica Press the invitation designer, and Janice Blair the wonderful calligrapher!

Cheers!

Jake's World Cup

2010-03-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

Remember those darling soccer invitations we posted a few weeks ago?

The party was this past weekend, and TOAST was so excited to help Jake host his very own World Cup.

The boys all played hard and had a lot of fun!

Here are some of our favorite moments from the event.

Here are all the teams at opening ceremony!

We had Argentina, Brazil, England, and Spain.

Chocolate Cake Cafe helped us make the delicious cupcakes!

The boys played like champions, and everyone received a medal!

Finally, it was time to blow out the candles on the cake and make a wish!

Happy Birthday Jake!

More Fabulous Flowers

2010-02-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

When our events are large enough that we need some outside assistance, we love working alongside Jocelyn Kellogg! Cheers Jocelyn! We love you and your beautiful work! Following is just a tiny sample of what Joc elyn can do...
Cheers!

Fabulous florals...

2010-02-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Here at Toast we make fabulous arrangements as part of the services we offer our clients. You may have seen these images on our website, but because we've recently been asked whom our florist is, we wanted to let everyone know that the answer is US! Not only do we plan fabulous events, we design them as well! We have an in-house floral team that creates all the beautiful designs to compliment our events. We collaborate with you to produce an event that is absolutely exquisite.

Cheers!

Isn't this ADORABLE and so cozy??

2010-02-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

In the Office

2010-02-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

Aren't these adorable? What little boy wouldn't want these invitations for their birthday?

So cute!

Vendor love!

2010-02-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

We love this company! LaTavola is amazing. They have fabulous linens that add the finishing touch to make an event perfect. They have offices in Beverly Hills, Napa and San Francisco. They deliver in their cute and unique delivery trucks. They have tons of linens to choose from at very reasonable prices. We love working with them and look forward to using them for future events!

LA Live Holiday Party

2010-01-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a little taste of a corporate holiday party we did for John Martin and Associates in Los Angeles--Wolf Gang Puck Bar and Grill at the new LA Live.

The food and service was outstanding! We loved creating a modern and lush look for the holiday season. No red and green for this party!!

New Faces at TOAST

2009-10-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

TOAST has been blessed with some fabulous interns!!

Josslyn Garcia and Dayna Packer have been with us since the beginning of September 2009, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Kim and I want to say a big THANK YOU to our tireless interns who have continued to impress us with their enthusiasm, talent, and attitude.

Dayna is currently a senior art major at Westmont College. She just
recently began her internship with Toast and is loving every second of it. After studying abroad in Tuscany last fall, her love for travel and culture has greatly increased. She hopes to be able to travel the world someday. When she isn't traveling, or dreaming of her next adventure to a far-off land, Dayna loves to try new restaurants, experiment with new recipes, soak up rays on the beach, take dance classes, and hang out with her friends. Her interest in event planning was sparked when she fell in love with photography and began attending weddings as a photography assistant. Through viewing thousands of wedding photos, she realized her love for events goes
much deeper than photography and the details of each day are what really excite her. She loves organizing the intricacies of a celebration: the music, flowers, food, lighting, invitations, and then being able to make all those things come together, creating a flawless event. She hopes to spend the rest of her life helping others celebrate in the joys of their lives and thanks Toast for being a stepping stone along the way to her dream.

Josslynn is currently a junior English major at Westmont College. Her internship with Toast began recently and has confirmed all her thoughts that event planning is exactly how she wants to spend the rest of her life. When Josslynn is not at the Toast office she can be found baking with her girlfriends, reading the newest novel, playing volleyball at the nearest gym, blogging or visiting her family in Europe. She knew event planning was her calling in third grade after she saw the movie Ever After and proceeded to plan out her entire wedding, and since then has been enthralled by the idea of planning any and all events. She went on to be a part of Student Leaders in high school and was able to plan all of the dances and pep rallies, and what most inspired her were the little things that made each event unique. Her obsession with blogs and wedding magazines have only helped to grow her enthusiasm for event planning, by seeing all the different intricate parts of an event she realizes that the possibilities are endless. Her favorite part is taking the vision of the person, and giving them something even better than they could have imagined. She loves to make people happy, and what better way to do that than throwing a party? She is so glad to have the opportunity to work at Toast and can not wait to help with all the fabulous events they put on.

Tiffany Nguyen joined our Toast team in May of 2009. As soon as Tiffany started interning for us, we knew she was a great fit. Her internship soon turned into an assistant position. Tiffany has a classic and sophisticated sense of style that continues to impress us. Tiffany's potential in the event design industry is limitless. Her ability to be a leader, her innate sense of organization, and her great taste, has made her invaluable to us.

Tiffany is a senior Communication and Sociology double major at UC-Santa Barbara. The day she began working at TOAST, she knew that life was taking her exactly where she wanted to go. Tiffany loves simple pleasures, like the fragrance of fresh verbena, the romance of flickering candles, and the elegance of raw silk. She constantly has the travel bug, and loves vacations on a whim. She is so thankful for her position at TOAST, and is eagerly anticipating the creation of another beautiful celebration, followed by lasting memories.

Congratulations Ryan & Laura!

2009-10-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

I want to share some pictures of my dear friends Ryan Poole and Laura Anderson. This wonderful couple will be getting married at Dos Pueblos Ranch in December. These incredible engagement shots were taken by the incredible Braedon. He did such a fantastic job of capturing their personalities and their deep love for one another. These pictures will be magical to look back on and I can't wait to share their wedding day with these dear friends and to see more images from Braedon!

website: www.braedonphotography.com
blog: www.braedonsblog.com
twitter: www.twitter.com/braedonflynn
facebook: www.facebook.com/braedon.flynn

Introducing: Christianne Taylor

2009-10-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

We wanted to introduce you to Christianne Taylor...our new favorite up and coming designer in Santa Barbara. The young, creative soul uses the most delicious and senuous of materials to create beautiful dresses. We are excted to wear a couple pieces from her first collection at SPLASH on Oct 24th. We are certain her dresses will create quite a buzz.....

Raan Parton and Lindsay Horstman Wedding

2009-08-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Here are several photos from a wedding we did last weekend. This spectacular and joyous event was at the famous and unmatched Biltmore Resort here in Santa Barbara. This lovely couple designed their wedding around vintage retro flair, a simple black and white palate, feathers, and plenty of personal touches. These gorgeous pictures were taken by the incredibly talented Raya Carlisle...she was a joy to work with and she captured Raan and Lindsay's style perfectly.

Yes...they are dancing on the tables!! So fun!

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Parton! TOAST feels blessed to have been a part of your wedding.

Romantic Dinner Party

2009-08-19T12:38:00.001-07:00

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE....garden roses and dinner parties.. romantic candlelight helps..as does a nice bottle(s) of red wine. Friends and family had a wonderful time at Amy Clarks home in Montecito.

805 Living

2009-08-19T12:34:00.001-07:00

Thank you for all your support. The 805 Living cover and article is a big honor for us! The biggest thanks to Jose Villa for these images...he is simply the best.

Coastal Couture Bridal Shower

2009-08-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

So Ms. Mia Vesanen is getting married and her dear friends, Dawn O'Donnell and Christie Glanville decided to throw an over the top--delightfully glamourous--bridal shower for her. The O'Donnell's beautiful backyard in Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara was the backdrop for this fun shower.

This arrangement was a fun one....let's just say it lost its blance in the kitchen while we were making it (several times! ) We used a rope ball candle holder from ZGallery as a base for this ball os coral roses, hydrangeas, driftwood, sea shells, and even dried seafans. Thanks to Jessica Fairchild Photography for these awesome pictures.

The bride is from Oklahoma and so Dawn suprised her with an area that we concealed until it was time for gift, smores, and a special book about armadillos (mating rituals!) Let's just say that Mia squealed with surprise and delight!! I love when clients really know the person they are throwing a party for and take extra steps to personalize the party.

Ode to Oklahoma!! Congratulations Mia!!

Surprise 60th Birthday Bash on the Beach!

2009-08-12T16:44:00.001-07:00

Welcome to our new BLOG! We are excited to share ideas, pictures, and fun stories! We have been busy with parties and weddings, a new website: http://www.toastsantabarbara.com/, and planning new parties to come!

Here are some recent pictures from Annie Collins recent suprise 60th birthday party. Her sweet husband Jim came to TOAST with the most thoughtful idea. He wanted to throw an imtimate suprise dinner party for his beloved wife at their family beach home in Carpinteria. The beachouse was so charming with family heirlooms and precious photos adorning the walls on faded photo paper!

We decided to go with a classy and casual beach theme. Using distressed wooden chairs and burlap table cloths, we wanted the party to feel airy and casual while remaining elegant and feminine. Enjoy!