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featured and seen on the following publications

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CHOOSE self LOVE 💖.
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Firstly, a belated huge thank you to everyone for their birthday greetings last month! I'm actually going to further celebrate this weekend in Las Vegas, I cannot wait! These past couple of months have been very trying on me, despite how well I hide it and keep it moving. Switching medications and finding manageable hormone levels has been more challenging than when I first had to, amongst other fears and feelings.
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Life is crazy isn't it? You think you have it all figured out one moment and then shit happens, LIFE happens, it progresses and then you're faced with a whole new set of circumstances to navigate. "The only constant, is change" my coworker says. It's so true!.
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With everything that's been going on, I find myself choosing to standstill, in fear of change and doubting my capabilities. So here's to myself and everyone who needs some motivation to take a leap. May you find the confidence in yourself and love for yourself to choose to evolve, grow, and potentially head towards an even greater life than you've known.
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You deserve it, I deserve it. You have everything you need. Choose to be optimistic. Choose faith in yourself. Choose self love. Love you guys!
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#quotes #real #nofilter #iamenough #selflove #be

"Let's not waste the rest of our lives wondering what could've been." - @perrypoetry .
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Happy Friday everyone! I am so inconsistent posting on @instagram nowadays, sometimes I wonder if it even matters... But I do know I love engaging with you guys so, here I am!.
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As always I've been doing a lot of reflecting lately and in the midst of all of my crazy hormones I've been finding myself at a standstill, debating how to move forward. Have you ever been confronted with such a crazy change that you didn't know what to do? Did you take the leap? Did you find a way to do it in safer smaller steps? Did you not do it all? What were your thoughts? What did you do?.
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Reminds me a little of this beautiful wedding with the incredible @mannasunevents @sallypineraphoto featured on @stylemepretty ! We're an intake team here at ABD and I wondered if we'd pull off all the pretty for this one! So happy we went for it and did!.
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Planning/Design/Coordination: @mannasunevents
Photography: @sallypineraphoto
Venue: @montalvospecialevents
Florals: @aprilbaytan
Linen: @latavolalinen
Rentals: @brighteventrentals @hensleyeventresources
Calligraphy: @blushtype
Cake: @studiocakedesign
Desserts: @dolcecakesconfections
MUA/Hair: @yibridal .
#featured #friday #stylemepretty #realwedding #thoughts #happyfriday

What thirty-two feels like for me 💬...
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In all honesty, I love being in my thirties. I love the security and confidence I feel being in a long term committed relationship and really coming into my own. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anyone, accomplish more to fuel my ego or be validated as a successful or worthy person. I am financially stable, have a successful creative business and have checked off many "to-do" items in life like accomplishing degrees, buying a home, traveling often, etc.
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In my 20's .. It was all about DOING. I cared a lot about what people thought and was desperately trying to find myself, my career, my happiness, and my worth. At 32, some times I feel like a completely different person but with the same huge heart, my values are much more simple, and as a super motivated person it feels a little strange! At 32, after all that I've been going through this past year or two... I just want to be healthy and love. I want to navigate my autoimmune disease and be able to get pregnant and have atleast one baby. I want to spend more time with my aging parents who are now in their mid 70's since I didn't get to when I was younger, and I want to just bask in the friendships and relationships I enjoy so freaking much!.
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What does this shift in me now mean for me and the way I live my life? That's my current question... But regardless, I'm so thankful and happy to have this life and to share it with people I love, old and new. Along with the challenges, life is so much fun and filled with incredible heartfilled memories and I'm excited to make many more of them!.
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My husband @tophbacon said something ridiculously wise to me the other day. "No one invented the right or wrong way to live." And it's so true! Really taking in how short life is and taking this opportunity to really think about how I truly want to live it.
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Happy Birthday to my overthinking self Lol! 🎉.
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Photography: @jennysoifoto
Florals: @aprilbaytan
Dress: @kinsleyjamescouturebridal
HMUA: @chiyokobeauty
Model: @kianamonique
Linen: @latavolalinen
Venue: @kinfolkinspiredspace .
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#happybirthday #thoughts #me #nofilter #featured #girlboss #entrepreneur

FEATURED ON @stylemepretty on this HAPPY FRIDAY!.
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Overwhelmed with gratitude to have another real wedding of ours last year featured on Style Me Pretty this week. Given that this is the start of only our third year of business, to have our work featured on SMP and to have the opportunity to work with such inspiring talents in the industry is such a dream! Thank you @mannasunevents for reaching out to us for this one!
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Planning/Design/Coordination: @mannasunevents
Photography: @sallypineraphoto
Venue: @montalvospecialevents
Florals: @aprilbaytan
Linen: @latavolalinen
Rentals: @brighteventrentals @hensleyeventresources
Calligraphy/Paper Goods: @blushtype
Cake: @studiocakedesign
Desserts: @dolcecakesconfections
MUA/ Hair: @yibridal .
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#featured #stylemepretty #happyfriday #realwedding

"Fall in love with somebody who values your spirit, recognizes your strength, honors your ideas, and loves you down to the bones." - Mark Anthony.
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The greatest joy in my life has been finding real love with my hubbie @tophbacon and going through life together. It brings me so much happiness when I see this love and committed and supportive relationship in others - especially our clients and loved ones which makes all the hard work that goes into designing and production worth it!.
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Over our amazing weekend a good friend came to learn about my autoimmune disease and recommended that I watch a documentary called HEAL on @netflix . It was such an eye opening and heartfelt watch and it got me to really think about my lifestyle and what things I can change to help my mind and body heal in a natural and holistic way.
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Taking medication every day and just having an unknown cause disease (probably from stress) can be very confusing and frustrating. I'm so blessed to have a husband in the medical field, who understands how the body and medications work and who helps explain things to me that are hard for me to understand. Furthermore I'm so grateful to have someone I can depend on for support and knowledge when contemplating lifestyle changes as well as questioning Western medicine vs Eastern medicine options.
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Love is incredible... In all its forms... In every way... The world needs more and more of it... And I'm so grateful to get to celebrate the love I've found in my hubbie every chance I can get! Sending you all lots of love! Happy Monday!
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Photography: @zhazha
Venue: @juliamorganballroom
Flowers: @aprilbaytan
Ribbon: @silkandwillow .
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#happymonday #love #thoughts #sanfrancisco #wedding #bouquet

HAPPY FRIDAY! ❤️💕💜.
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Oh the bridal bouquet.... I can't tell you how stressful designing the bridal bouquet can be... But somehow this one came together quite nicely! I knew I wanted a bouquet lush with blooms to compliment the grandeur of the @juliamorganballroom ! And the bride was such a joy, giving me trust and creative freedom to create that I just had to spoil her with David Austin garden roses,Italian renunculus and some beautiful @silkandwillow silk ribbon!
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Absolutely worth all the special goodies because this image taken by @zhazha gives me all the happy feelz for this Happy Friday!
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#happyfriday #bouquet #sanfrancisco #wedding #luxurywedding

A Tuesday intro for this transparent Tuesday...
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Hello to new followers, I'm April, what I do does not define me, but many have found me through my wedding floral and design work. I currently have a design business in addition to my 9-5 working in operations out of the port of Oakland and also have recently been diagnosed with Grave's Disease. I have a lot of depth and spill my feelings out often in my posts and honesty and transparency for me is a way of life.
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Speaking of transparency... Today was a mix of emotions. Earlier I rejoiced in fulfilling our first wedding of the year which was incredibly beautiful! The team and I did such a great job and I could not be more pleased with what we were able to do - it's really awesome seeing us get better and better.
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Today I came across an old boss who asked me how I'm doing. I gave him the shpeal, told him I'm good, that some things are harder but I'm fine, but he didn't seem satisfied by my answer and continued to press for details. He sat me down asked me whats going on and what my plan was and for some reason in that moment I just came undone and cried.
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The truth is, I'm a completely different person than I've known and parts of that is very hard to swallow. I continue to live life and achieve and do everything my heart desires but I can't say I do it in the fashion I'd like to. People know me for my style, my energy, my spunk and I feel like it's hard to channel that daily. As a woman known for her fashion sense, juggling so much at once and who used to be a makeup artist for a living the drastic change I see in my physical appearance and physical abilities can feel devastating.
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Maybe today is just a bad day... But I wanted to share it regardless cuz it's real. Im so thankful to people who have the courage to share their experiences and journey to let others know they're not alone and I'm hoping I can do the same. Taking the rest of this week after a busy production week to check in with myself and give my body and mind some much needed TLC and grace.
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#gravesdisease #autoimmunedisease #thoughts #nofilter #transparenttuesday #real #me

First wedding of 2019 got me like 🎉.
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Our first wedding of the year is by far one of my favorites! Not only did we get to work at the incredible dream venue @juliamorganballroom but we also did three beautiful installations amongst our intimate team! Check out our highlights for more of this pretty!
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Cannot wait to see beautiful images from new galpal @zhazha who was a blast to work with!! Love this ladies energy! So grateful for all the love from clients and vendors... and still amazed of what me, this body of mine and our intimate team can do!.
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#sanfrancisco #wedding #luxurywedding #ceremomy #photooftheday #2019

Current Status: Feeling abundantly loved 💕.
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Happy Friday everyone! I'm currently in wedding production so I havent been able to see all the abundance of loving posts going on, but the few I have inspired me to post my own.
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I've been reflecting a lot these past few days, and as a side note can share that my thyroid levels and symptoms are now, after 6 weeks of going back on medication normal and manageable. During my reflection, I sat in silence, dug real deep, past all the stress, worry and anguish.. and found my heart throbbing, bursting, with so much love and gratitude.
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Graves Disease has changed me a lot, and in some twisted way I see it as a gift. It has forced me to have courage, humility, grace and has also taught me the act of letting go.
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It takes a lot of courage to share that I have a lot of trying days with my autoimmune journey and a lot of humility to actually ask people for help. I've learned to give myself a lot of grace in not being able to give myself and loved ones all the energy I wish I could, and have found peace with all that has come and gone as a result.
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My heavy heart is not because life's been challenging .. but because I've realized I've never felt so loved in my life! Despite my shortcomings I am so thankful to my loved ones, clients, people in the industry, all of you, and even to this body of mine for insisting to be there and seeing me through. I have received so many heartfelt emails and messages, my heart is so full. I am so thankful for everyone's ongoing love, support, and compassion and to everyone who doesn't look at my Graves Disease as a crutch or weakness.
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To all that continue to ride for me, work with me, and reach out to me even with all my brutal realness, honesty and transparency... Know that I am so freaking thankful for you. Thank you for loving me for me... 🙏🏼
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#happyvalentinesday #love #thoughts #quotes #nofilter #gravesdisease

THE BEAUTY OF HONESTY 🙏🏼.
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A value I hold near and dear with ABD is HONESTY. I like to be very open and honest with clients from the beginning and let them know I have a minimum and also consult very honestly when consulting about design and budget.
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A great example is this classic ceremony setup at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. All 6 of these tall statement arrangements were then repurposed as centerpieces during the reception adding more value to the pieces and keeping an impactful design.
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Photography: @brandonjferlin .
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#sanfrancisco #classic #asian #wedding #ceremomy #photooftheday

CITY HALL WEDDING VIBES got me like.. 🎉
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Throwback to my very first City Hall wedding and first year of business! Can't believe this was less than two years ago! It's so crazy thinking of how much we've been able to evolve in a year!.
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Photography : @amandaweiphoto
Florals: @aprilbaytan
Venue: @sanfranciscocityhall .
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#sanfrancisco #sanfranciscocityhallwedding #love #bouquet #throwback

I LOVE CITY HALL WEDDINGS! 💕
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I have a soft spot for intimate City Hall weddings. I love getting away from the chaos of all the logistics of a larger wedding and being able to take a moment with Chris to just take in the love of our bride and groom and send them positive vibes. It melts my heart seeing the two of them look into eachother's eyes, walking and caring for one another away from tons of family and friends. Just them, our flowers, the photographer and their incredible love.
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Photography: @jessicakay_photo
Flowers: @aprilbaytan
Ribbon: @silkandwillow .
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#sanfrancisco #sanfranciscocityhallwedding #love #bouquet #marthaweddings

SAN FRANCISCO . NORTHERN CALIFORNIA . NAPA VALLEY

© 2017 APRIL BAYTAN DESIGNS