During the 8th Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival hosted in the beautiful Monterey Peninsula (in Northern California), reality television star and celebrity Fashion Designer, Whitney Port, sat down with Christina-Lauren, the Creator of Inspirations & Celebrations, for a little #SipWithWhit session to share her party planning and entertaining tips, give the scoop on her upcoming wedding to Tim Rosenman, and reveal her favorite low-calorie Martini & Rossi cocktail recipe.
Celebrity Fashion Designer Whitney Port
Since starring in MTV’s hit reality television show, The Hills, and its later spin-off show, The City, millions of young viewers instantly fell in love with the new “It Girl” in town, Whitney Port. With her bubbly personality, beachy blonde locks, and career-oriented mentality, it wasn’t hard to see how Whitney could seamlessly transition from TV personality to bonafide fashion designer in just a few years.
In 2008, Whitney Port launched a contemporary fashion line, Whitney Eve. Her fashion line has quickly become popular amongst stylish celebs (like Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, and Rihanna), tastemakers, and fashionistas.
Whitney Port and Martini & Rossi Collaboration
In Fall of 2014, Whitney Port launched a collaboration with one of the leading producers of sparkling wines, Martini & Rossi. “With a full portfolio of sparkling wines, MARTINI has created special moments out of everyday celebrations for over 150 years. Together, MARTINI and Whitney will show their fans how to add effortless style and a bit of sparkle to any gathering.”
Featured inside the luxurious Lexus Grand Tasting Tent at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine event, Martini & Rossi set-up an exclusive food and wine pairing with Chef Greg Hozinksy from Santa Monica’s trendy restaurant, the Strand House. Whitney Port enjoyed mixing and mingling with guests all weekend, while sipping on bubbly with her fiancé.
Exclusive Interview with Whitney Port
CL: Since you’re preparing for your upcoming wedding, what are your tips for choosing wines that your guests will enjoy (especially given that people have varietal preferences)?
WP: I think the key with choosing wines is obviously just to have one of everything. What’s so great about Martini is that they offer so many different sparkling wines. I just did a tasting for Prosecco, which was so delicious and crisp, and just a really good celebratory sparkling wine.
CL: Do you plan on having a signature cocktail at your wedding?
WP: Yeah! I think we’re going to have a couple. Timmy and I both have very different taste in liquor and wine, so I think we’ll have a couple different ones at various points of the wedding and during cocktail hour, to appeal to everyone’s tastebuds.
CL: What’s your favorite cocktail recipe (featuring Martini & Rossi wines)?
WP: I made a custom cocktail with Martini & Rossi. We made a Prosecco with Peach Puree, Rosemary, and Arugula, which added a nice little bite to it. It was so delicious! It’s great for a brunch or lunch atmosphere, it’s fruity but not too sweet, and it’s good for pairing with any kind of egg dish.
CL: When entertaining, do you offer guests different cocktails depending on the season, or do you have a go-to beverage of choice?
WP: I think when entertaining, I always kind of stick to wine or beer. I really would like to get more into making custom cocktails. It’s all about having all the right ingredients. I have a whole bar set-up with a martini shaker, and all different types of liquors and wines.
CL: What about Martini & Rossi do you especially love? Have you always enjoyed Prosecco, in particular?
WP: I love Martini & Rossi’s Prosecco, because it’s light and crisp. I have really delicate tastebuds, so I don’t like anything too strong. It’s just an easy, smooth, light drink.
CL: Since wedding-planning is time consuming, what have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced? How have you balanced your career with planning this special occasion?
WP: I haven’t really had any challenges, although the biggest one was deciding on the venue. I’m a visual, creative person, so how I see the whole thing is important to me, and I have a lot of expectations. So, finding the perfect place was hard for me. I had so many things in my head that I envisioned that I wanted the venue to capture.
In terms of balancing, work is my first priority. Whenever I have a free moment (especially after work), I devote time to wedding planning. I try not to let it take over my whole day. Also, my older sister is an Event Planner and she’s also my Wedding Planner, so I can contact her throughout the day to share thoughts and ideas, and know she’ll just execute them.
CL: From food & beverages to the gown and venue, weddings are becoming increasingly expensive for young couples. How do you stay on budget while planning your wedding? Any tips that you can share with my readers on what to splurge on versus what to save on?
WP: That’s a good question. What to splurge on and what to save on is such a personal decision for each couple. Some people may really care about the food, while others would care about the flowers. The key would be to make a list at the beginning of each of your top priorities, and to make sure that you’re working together on it.
CL: Are you going to design your own dress?
WP: I’m going to work with a designer. I do young contemporary womenswear, so I’m not necessarily a gown designer, but I do have a vision, so I need their expertise.
