Last Friday I coordinated the wedding for Michelle Anderson and Daniel Alderman. The day was perfect and I was happy that I once again got to work with Bobby and Lyndsay Earle, San Diego Photographer Bobby Earle Photography.
Bobby and Lydnsay are amazing and I can’t wait to see the final photos… here is a sneak peek
When your planning your weddnig in San Diego and are ready to select a makeup artist, it is critical to consider the talent, experience and reliability of the professional you select to be part of this most important day in your life. The proper application of makeup can make all the difference in bringing out your best qualities, creating a natural yet beautiful appearance, and ensuring that your photographs are the magical mementos you hoped for.
With more than 25 years as a professional makeup artist, Natalie Dixon will bring both expertise and high style to you on your wedding day. For every woman who wishes to look beautiful in front of the camera, Natalie is an expert artist who is the choice of celebrities and models and her work has been featured widely in film, television, videos and print.
She not only gives you that classic look on the most memorable of days, but also utilizes the most exciting technique available in Makeup Artistry today . . . Airbrushed Makeup.
For those flawless photographs that every bride wants, Natalie carefully applies water-based foundation that is sprayed through a very fine airbrush device onto the skin. This extra special technique gives your skin that flawless, soft and youthful look that all brides wish to capture forever.
Before that most special and magical of days, Natalie will happily meet with you first for a trial makeup session in order to create just the perfect look that you want.
On the day of your wedding, the only person in the world who matters is you. Natalie will arrive on time at the location of your choice to lend her expertise and artistry to you and your wedding party and help make this day even more beautiful than you have dreamed.
This will be perhaps the most important and memorable moment of your life . . . Let Natalie help to make it the most beautiful.
I asked Brandi to tell you all about her wonderful wedding that will take place today at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.
Check back soon for photos from Brant Bender!
The Details…
Wedding Ceremony Location: Rancho Bernardo Inn – Valencia Lawn
Wedding Reception Location: Santiago Ballroom
Number of Attendants/Bridesmaids: 8 and 8
Wedding Coordinator: Sharon Cole/ A Dream Wedding by Sharon Cole
Officiant: Pastor Patrick Foy
Photographer: Brant Bender Photography
Videographer: Ashley Video Productions
Florist: Tessilk Flowers
Linens: A Perfect Table
Entertainment (Ceremony): Caprice Strings
Entertainment (Cocktail Hour): J. Boykin Saxophone
Entertainment (Reception): Sunset Mobile Music
Catering: Rancho Bernardo Inn
Wedding Cake: Edelweiss
Invitations: Costco
Stationery: Invitation Theory
Hair: Catrice
Makeup: Makeup by Natalie
Dress: Deborah’s Bridal Signature Collection
Men’s Formalwear: Mens Warehouse
Jewelry/Rings: Robbins Bros
Rentals: Chiavari Chair Rentals (chairs and White dance floor)
Other: Chocolate Haven and Dove Release (40) Feathers From Heaven
Theme: Classic Sophistication
Honeymoon & Travel: Sandals St. Lucia
Which three vendors that went beyond the call of duty and were A+ (you could and will recommend to everyone):
Sharon from A Dream Wedding by Sharon Cole was beyond AMAZING! She was so organized and detail oriented. She was able to keep me calm at all moments of planning, and seemed to be inside of my head to create my exact vision.
Tess from Tessilk Flowers was wonderful! She definitely knows what she is doing and has an eye for the perfect look in floral arrangements.
Brant from Brant Bender Photography. Brant is truly an artist. His photography is amazing and his personality is equally amazing. We felt comfortable at every moment of picture taking (engagement session) and he gave us pointed on how to pose to get the looks just right.
Edelweiss. I loved every moment of picking my cake. When I was unsure of the cake flavors, the owner came out and offered to create a White Chocolate Pound Cake for us. She sat and described every aspect of what could go into the flavor and then made wonderful suggestions on décor. She was right on, and I got the 5 tier cake of my dreams.
Tell us about your wedding…
My fiancé and I love of travel, so we thought it would be great to have a destination wedding. We also wanted to think of our guests by picking a location that was still accessible to family and friends without the expenses of airfare. This led us to beautiful Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, two and half hours from our Inland Empire home. We chose the Rancho Bernardo Inn because of its elegant and timeless atmosphere plus beautiful and plush gardens. My immediately fell in love with how it was green everywhere but still had a classic charm filled with sophistication.
We are having an evening ceremony held at Rancho Bernardo Inn’s outdoor lawn, with the cocktail hour in the Santiago courtyard, before guests will be moved inside to the Santiago ballroom for dinner and dancing. Our goal was to host an event filled with the same sophistication and class of RBI, while allowing guests to enjoy a good party. For us it’s all about the party. I wanted the wedding to feature soft palettes of Ivory, Champagne, and Peach. I was inspired by a bouquet of peach roses that my fiancé once gave me and my vision grew from there. I centered a lot of my décor decisions on the soft peach rose. And since a rose is very traditional yet timeless, that’s exactly the style of my wedding with a slight twist of a contemporary edge.
The ceremony will feature mostly white floral arrangements with the exception of peach orchids attached to strands of crystals hanging from the Canopy draped in White Organza. Down the aisle we will have bunches of white rose petals arranged in a crisscross pattern down the center with rows of peach rose petals scattered along the sides. The bridesmaids will walk down the aisle to the classical sounds of Bach, wearing elegant strapless Jim Hjelm dresses in Cashmere. The soft hews of the colors perfectly compliment each of their skin tones, while adding additional softness to the color scheme of the overall wedding. The groomsmen are also sticking with the soft colored theme by wearing Ivory Tuxedos from Men’s Warehouse with Champagne colored vests and ties. The groom and I are wearing uninterrupted white, with my gown being a strapless dropped-waist ball gown from Deborah’s Bridal Signature Collection paired with a cathedral length veil. Adorning my hair will be a dramatic side comb of rhinestone flowers, crystals, and marquis stones by Bel Aire Bridal. My favorite part of the ceremony’s order will probably be the 40 doves released right as the pastor announces my fiancé and me as man and wife.
During the cocktail hour guests will enjoy open bar while listening to soft jazz played by saxophone artist, J. Boykin. The reception will be equally grand featuring soft peach up-lighting throughout the ballroom with a perfect mix of round and rectangle guest tables. The custom peach linen will be topped with champagne scrolled overlays, gold charger plates, ivory napkins, and custom designed menu cards. The centerpieces for the round tables are vases filled with peach orchids and topped with a round arrangement of white hydrangeas, peach and white roses, and peach and white lilies. The centerpieces for the rectangle tables are more contemporary having tall pillar vases filled with peach orchids and tops with floating candles. With short square vases on each side filled with white and peach roses, hydrangeas, and lilies. In the center of the ballroom will be a white dance floor that beautifully highlights the custom gobo of mine and my fiancés names and wedding date. This same monogram will be present in the seating chart, menu card, favor boxes, and place cards to keep the cohesion of all printed items. Dinner will include a choice of white or red wine paired with a duet plate of filet mignon and salmon. After dinner the guest get both wedding cake and white chocolate fountain as dessert choices. I am especially excited about the White Chocolate fountain because not only is it doubling as the guests favor, but the dipping items, long stem strawberries, marshmallows, cream puffs, rice crispy treats, and bananas, are some of my favorite desserts.
In my opinion, my wedding is unique because we were able to pull of a destination wedding for 150 guests without sacrificing a single element of my vision and while staying on budget. We incorporated the “L” from my newly married last name into all the stationary and include 5 “Lessons of Love” each beginning with the letter L into frames placed on the cocktail tables.
I truly believe my wedding mirrors many weddings on Platinum weddings without the platinum budget.
Thank you to Eve and Allison, for bringing together San Diegos’ finest wedding planners tonight to the first ever, San Diego Coordinators Connect meeting.
The get-together was held at the beautiful Candelas Coronado patio, and it was so great to see so many familiar faces.
We talked alot about social networking and I found a few new friends to add to my Twitter pool. I promised to send everyone my collected list, so here you go ladies (and gentleman).
Company Twitter account
One and Only Events OneNOnlyEvents
Ooh La La Weddings oohlalawed
Devine Events Devine_Events
Epiphany Events _EpiphanyEvents
First Comes Love 1stcomeslovesd
Denise Slepak DeniseSlepak
Bergmann Photography bergmannphoto
Thank you to Kim and the Candelas crew for making those amazing Sangria’s and delicious appetizers!
Today I had the pleasure of having lunch with Debra Altschuler, the new Director of Catering with Terra Catering.
Debra joined Terra four months ago and already she feels right at home. Terra Catering is a family owned business. Executive Chef Jeff Rossman has a wonderful philosophy about his food and the way the staff treat their clients.
Terra specializes in “The America’s” cuisine . Its seasonal menu reflects its ties to the freshest local & regional products available. Using only the finest and freshest ingredients with the most unique presentation. No pre-printed sample menus are ever given during a consultation, instead Jeff and Debra work with their clients to create one of a kind favorites that their families will love.
Debra impressed me with her extensive knowledge of the catering business. An Executive Chef in her own right, Debra moved to San Diego from New York two and a half years ago. She began working with The French Gourmet and then TK&A, but when she began working with Jeff at Terra she knew she was where she belonged.
In New York, Debra catered to many Jewish clientele so she fit right into the Jewish community here is San Diego since Jeff’s second business is partnering with Edward Bloomberg and Shalom Catering. Debra loves coordinating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s and working with the Synagogues around San Diego.
You can tell right away that Debra is a pure people person. She makes you feel relaxed, confident and cared for. I was so surprised when I realized we spent over two hours at lunch! And what a lunch it was…Debra suggested we share a sample menu of some of her favorites. We chose the Pumpkin Ravioli with toasted hazelnut, served with Collard Greens. (I personally had never before tried collard greens, and was really surprised how much I liked them.) We also had the coconut crusted crab cakes (two of my favorites items put together!) and the potato and brie quesadillas with a spicy chipotle honey drizzle. Everything was amazing and believe me when I tell you that every mouthful was Divine!
I couldn’t leave without trying something from their dessert menu (I can never turn down amazing sweets) so I decided on the Apple Bread Pudding with a small side of Vanilla Bean ice cream. Our server Gam was so nice throughout the entire lunch, if you get a chance to meet him you will be captivated by his warm smile and friendly attitude.
I am so looking forward to working with Debra in the near future. In fact I added Terra Catering to my preferred list of Caterers!
I couldn’t resist taking photos of today’s menu. Please excuse the photo quality as I am not the best photographer in the world (only one the best coordinators ).
Bon Appetit
Pumpkin Ravioli
Coconut crusted Crab Cakes
Potato and Brie Quesadillas
Apple Bread Pudding
Today I was lucky enough to listen to one California’s leading wedding coordinators, Mrs. Barbara Wallace.
Barbara was the featured speaker at the San Diego Association of Bridal Consultants monthly luncheon held at the beautiful Dana on Mission Bay.
The topic for today engaged both San Diego Wedding Planners, and San Diego Wedding Vendors as it dealt with keeping up a good relationship between the two at all times. Their were approx. 85 SDABC members in attendance and we loved hearing from Barbara how we can value and respect every one’s opinions and business practices. Barbara met with many of our members before and after the meeting and was gracious enough to autograph her first book “Wedding Vendor Handbook – Get to the Top and Stay There” .
I met Barbara 7 years ago at my very first SDABC meeting. I met her again 2 years ago at the ABC National Conference in Newport Beach, so it was wonderful seeing her again and learning about her new book that will be coming out soon.
“A Beautiful Bride From Every Angle: Look Great in Every Photo…and in Life!”
I hope to see Barbara at this years ABC National Conference in Arizona!
Here is a look at who Barbara is…if you’re getting married in Orange County (and do not hire ADW from SD) contact Barbara!
Barbara, President and founder of Barbara Wallace Weddings, holds the designation Master Bridal ConsultantTM from the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) and is a Distinguished Graduate of their program. She is also a member of the International Special Events Society (ISES), is the founding President of ISES – Orange County California Chapter, and holds the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) designation. She keeps abreast of the latest trends through speaking engagements, continuing education and publications and attendance at ABC national and state conferences and local networking groups as well as The Special Event and various other trade events. She has often presented seminars at these conferences. She is a former Co-director of the Association of Bridal Consultants, Orange County Local Networking Group, having held that position from 1998 – 2004 and was on the Advisory Board of Special Events Magazine from 2005 to 2008
Last night was the San Diego Style Weddings “Spring Fling” held at The Rancho Bernardo Inn. Dena and her amazing staff spoiled all of us with amazing food, drinks and music. Look for A Dream Wedding by Sharon Cole in the September issue of San Diego Style Weddings magazine.
Thanks Dena for the invitation. Hope you like the videos!
My very good friend and amazing Florist Tess Perea with Tessilk Flowers created these beautiful citrus inspired floral displays at San Diego Style Weddings “Spring Fling” held tonight at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.
I’m so proud of Tess and of her talent!
My very good friend Irene Gonzalez has the most beautiful linen rentals in San Diego. Her company A Perfect Table has been awarded Best Linen Rentals in San Diego by Wedding Wire and Bridalinsider.com
I reccomemnd Irene to all of my clients because her service, product and staff are amazing!
Please check out her website or visit Irene at our San Diego Soiree Showroom soon.
A Dream Wedding by Sharon Cole – San Diego Destination Specialists
I want to thank Bobby Earle and his lovely wife Lyndsay for sending over this amazing slideshow of even more wonderful photos of Heather and Noel’s wedding.
I would love to work with Bobby again in the future so please keep him in mind for your future events!
