San Diego Weddings of Distinction

images courtesy of studio carre’

The Doubletree Golf Resort in Rancho Penasquitos dazzles and sizzles for our July Weddings of Distinction luncheon/meeting!

Special thanks go out to Ashley Famalette and Amy Hungerford and their crew from the Doubletree Golf Resort for hosting us for our July luncheon meeting. Our greeting was spectacular as we entered to action stations offering a variety of scrumptious appetizers like flambé of lemon pepper scallops, bruschetta and gazpacho shooters! Lunch and service continued to impress…what a wonderful venue!

A special thank you to WoD members officiant Patricia Coleman and coordinators Krista Murphy and Karen Schulman from Definitive Events for showcasing their services for our meeting. A special shout-out to our guests on the day: David Martiarena from San Diego Paella , Frankie Hartwell from Hartworks Floral, and photographer Bryan N. Miller.

We welcome John Stearns from Plush Lounge to the WoD team as he steps in for the soon to depart Karen Kluchonic. Also moving on and to be dearly missed is Cheli Madrid with St. Tropez Specialty Cakes and Desserts.

Loads of group business was shared, raffle prizes were doled out, referrals were passed about amongst members…a talkative, friendly time was had by all. A special thank-you to photographer Shannon Henry from Studio Carre, Cheli Madrid from St. Tropez Specialty Cakes and Desserts and Paula Rae Anderson from Rae Florae for their contributions to the luncheon meeting.

We’ll see you all next month for another exciting and productive Weddings of Distinction meeting!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, Elle G Photography. Committee Members: Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.

images courtesy of theorie

When Sarah and Chris decided to do a home wedding at Sarah’s parents’ San Diego estate, everyone couldn’t have been more thrilled! The couple wanted to do an outdoor wedding and hired wedding planner and San Diego Weddings of Distinction member, Cynthia Zatkin of Cynthia Zatkin Events, to help them create their dream. The family cleared a lower area on their property for the ceremony and decided to have the cocktail hour on a grassy lawn and the dinner and dancing in the pool area. Sarah and Chris said they wanted a fun event and they wanted a band. By CZ Events’ recommendation, they put the stage and dance floor over the pool and created a lounge type atmosphere with lounge furniture and cocktail tables instead of traditional round tables and assigned seats. This set-up allowed the guests to mix and mingle and created an energetic atmosphere. Guests feasted on dinner stations created by fellow San Diego Weddings of Distinction member, wedding caterer Continental Catering, and lounged anywhere they pleased! For the wedding décor, the bride chose yellow, orange, and pink with green accents. Bright flowers sat on top of orange and yellow linens and looked gorgeous against the estate’s grassy lawn. As the sun set, lanterns came alive flickering in the trees while candles floating in the open part of the pool created an amazing ambiance. Guests danced until midnight and had fun with the colorful boas, hats, and tambourines provided by the bride and groom! Wedding photographers and fellow San Diego Weddings of Distinction members, Amy and Maurice of Theorie, captured the day with incredible photos. Their colorful and playful style of wedding photography perfectly matched the personalities of the bride and groom. All in all, it was a fantastic affair!

We are so excited to announce that many of our vendors have been nominated for the 10 News A-List for the best businesses in San Diego. Please take a moment and vote for your favorites HERE…it would mean so much!

Brides Across America was born on a realization that our country needs to do more to support our troops and their families. Bringing bridal and military together is a marriage made in heaven!  Bridal salons are uniting across America to donate and giving away wedding gowns to qualified military brides.

The wedding industry is making a difference and giving brides to be the opportunity to find the wedding gown of their dreams as well as alleviate some of the financial stress of purchasing a  wedding gown.

Each store will be preparing a select number of gown to give away.  Most of the gowns are samples and overstocks and are worth approximately $500 to $3000.  Dresses range in sizes from 4-22 and will be given away on a first-come, first serve basis as long as you qualify.

Brides Across America is dedicated to make military brides dreams come true while, anxiously waiting the arrival of their loved one from overseas. You too can make a difference by sending in a donation to support Homes For Our Troops.

Please stop by the Bustle bridal salon today or tomorrow to take advantage of this wonderful offer.

July 22 & 23
The Bustle Bridal Salon
1011 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA
858-523-9254

images by elle.g photography

Weddings of Distinction paid a visit to fellow group member The Prado at Balboa Park this June for their monthly luncheon and…in a word…WOW! Hats off to Catering Sales Manager Andrea Pena and her crew for greeting us in the Terrace Garden with champagne and sparkling cider and dazzling us with an incredible meal prepared by their fantastic new chefs. Seared scallops, a duet of steak and slipper lobster tail with a salad splash and a lemon cake dessert left no one wanting. Even our attending member caterers offered glowing praise.

To start our luncheon/meeting, Mary Noriega from Humphrey Florist was honored by the group in a touching farewell ceremony celebrating her 16 years of loyalty and support of Weddings of Distinction. An original group member, all of us will miss you Mary!

Showcasing members on the day were florist Lois Mathews and flamenco guitarist Anthony Garcia. Both gave impressive updates on their respective businesses and shown brightly with samples of their craft. A big thank you goes out to Lois for her beautiful centerpieces and to Anthony for entertaining us with his wonderful music as we did our meet & greet and during the luncheon.

Our beautiful day was embellished with loads of networking, sunshine, referrals shared and excellent camaraderie amongst San Diego wedding professionals. The Prado at Balboa Park provided quite the display and is an awesome venue option for wedding ceremonies and receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate parties and family functions.

Board business was shared. New members officiant Patricia Coleman and invitation specialist Tiffany Lord Arnaldo with Cali Cards were welcomed into the group. Birthdays were acknowledged. Raffle prizes were awarded. A warm, beautiful day in Balboa Park was enjoyed by all!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, Elle G Photography. Committee Members: Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.

images courtesy of Kristina Chartier Photography

Weddings of Distinction visited the gorgeous Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa recently for their monthly luncheon meeting. Director of Catering Debra Ayala and Catering Manager Sarah Sargent treated us to a scrumptious meal and various tasty beverages. They’ve recently re-branded their wedding division as Ocean Pearl Weddings. Their ceremony, reception areas, spa and quality of service are fantastic!

A very special welcome to our guests on the day: Tiffany Lord Arnaldo from Cali Cards, David Martiarena from San Diego Paella and Tim English from Disc Go Round DJ.

As is a staple at our monthly get-togethers, two companies showcased their businesses for the members in attendance. Hats off to the venerable and immensely talented violinist Gloria Paris from Gloria Paris’ Sterling Strings. Her music is beautiful. Andy Hagenah from Disc Go Round DJ & Video Services dazzled our group with a video demo of his offerings and entertained us with a demo of a new side portable photo booth business he’s just started.

Various pieces of Board business were shared with the membership including recently amended by-laws. Birthdays were toasted. Some great raffle prizes were doled out. Much networking took place and all shared referrals. We’ll see you in June at The Prado in Balboa Park!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, elle.g photography.

Committee Members:
Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.

images courtesy of ABI photo

The Westin treated our members and guests to a fabulous luncheon meeting to close April. Kudos to Sheri Karpinski and her banquet staff for fantastic service and a delicious lunch. The Westin is a fabulous choice for your next business meeting, corporate holiday party or that perfect, rocking, urban wedding.

WoD drifted this month from its normal monthly meeting agenda. WoD staged an informative and highly group engaging forum focusing on marketing, creative advertising and, basically, ideas on what to do when the phone is not ringing as much as it should be. Keynote speakers were President Bob Brichmann & Treasurer Merrylin Brichmann, Artistic Productions, Vice-President Ann Strobel, Ann’s Plans, David Wasserman from Joes On The Nose, and photographer Kristina Chartier. Member participation was very spirited and creative advice was flying about the room. Everyone surely took home at least one good idea from this meeting to help themselves and their business.

Typical monthly Board business was shared. New member coordinator Krista Murphy from Definitive Events was welcomed into the group. Raffles prizes were awarded. New member brochures are ready to go to print. We’ll see you next month (5/25) at the Sheraton Carlsbad!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, elle.g photography.

Committee Members:
Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.

We are proud to announce our very own Shannon of Studio Carre‘ is featured in Exquisite Weddings magazine this month.
Look for it on newsstands today! Congratulations Shannon…beautiful work!

images courtesy of Studio Carre.

The William D. Evans sternwheeler at The Bahia Resort was the scene of our latest WoD outing. What a treat! It’s such a beautifully historic boat. The stain-glassed 2nd deck ceiling is gorgeous. Many thanks to the catering ladies – Susan, Kristin and Kelly and the banquet staff for providing a delicious meal and wonderful visit.

Special thanks go out to WoD member Lois Mathews of Lois Mathews Design for the creative table décor. Beautiful candles, baubles and peacock feathers!

Guests for the day included coordinator Carmin Cermak of Carmin Designs, Fred Alderete from Concepts Event Design and little baby Axel – WoD member Cynthia Zatkin’s newest addition to her family. Also welcomed to the group were new members Sara Sargent, catering manager from the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa , Haydee and Fred Alderete, owners of Concepts Event Design and Kristina Chartier of Kristina Chartier Photography

Our two showcasers for the day were coordinator Ann Strobel from Ann’s Plans and Meleah , hair & make-up stylist, 1st dance instructor, image consultant and more. Thank you ladies for sharing your talents with the group.

Board members shared group business and announcements with all. Thank you Ann for the generous raffle prize. A few testimonials were shared. Birthdays were acknowledged. Many, many referrals were exchanged and, as we do each month, networking was enjoyed by all.

We’ll see you March 23 at Humphrey’s On The Bay!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions ; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans ; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions ; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons, ; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park ; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble ; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, elle.g photography .

Committee Members:
Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.

The San Diego Del Mar Hilton hosted the 1st luncheon meeting of 2010 for Weddings of Distinction. Director of Catering Gary Bolotin and staff treated members to a wonderful luncheon in the Derby Room. Fellow WoD member David Wasserman with Joes On The Nose showcased his company’s delicious coffees, lattes, mochas, hot chocolates and cappuccinos. The group was a buzzin’…..and referrals were too!

As a 1st meeting of the year activity, each member and attendee stood and gave a 30 second introduction and “commercial” for their craft. Several guests attended: photographer Kristina Chartier, web site designer and SEO specialist Staci Paris, Haydee Alderete from Concepts Event Design and Diane D’Angelo from the bridal salon D’Angelo in Mission Valley.

Board members shared some new year’s business. Several raffle prizes were awarded. A few testimonials were shared. Birthdays were acknowledged. Several faces we’d not seen in a while were welcomed back. Many, many referrals were shared and, as is the goal of the group, spirited networking took place.

We’ll see you next February 23rd! Stay tuned for the location!

The Weddings of Distinction 2010 Board:

President, Bob Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Vice-President, Ann Strobel, Coordinator from Ann’s Plans; Treasurer, Merrylin Brichmann, DJ & Emcee from Artistic Productions; Founding President, Susan Ashley from Romantic Honeymoons; Membership, Andrea Pena from The Prado at Balboa Park; Secretary, Diane Wilson from Silverwood Music Ensemble; Marketing, Lisa Gisczinski, Elle G Photography.

Committee Members:
Shannon Henry, photographer from Studio Carre.

San Diego Weddings of Distinction is a non-profit networking group specializing in weddings and special events. They meet monthly at various San Diego County hotels, resorts and special event facilities. The group’s goal is building professional relationships and networking to give clients the best advice and services to choose from.