San Diego Weddings of Distinction » wedding

member spotlight :: pink star design

admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:00:31 +0000

photos courtesy of Pink Star Design

Jenn Ragusa rocks out invitations with her company Pink Star Design. Based out of San Diego, but servicing all of the US & international, her mantra is “Invite With Style!” As a member of Weddings of Distinction, Jenn & Pink Star exudes quality. Guidance, etiquette, creating a perfect match for your vision…these aspects are what she is all about. After all, your invitation is the first impression of your wedding.

Their aim is to create couture invitations at a reasonable price. Pink Star is very unique in that they are one of the few local invitation businesses who design, print & produce the invites, save-the-dates, seating charts, favor tags, place cards, etc. in house. They are everything paper. Pink Star offers additional services such as complete assembly, mailing & computer or hand calligraphy.

Five pieces of advice:

1) Your invitation is the 1^st impression for your guests. Choose to reflect your tastes & personality.

2) Ask upfront about additional costs: extra fees for color, insert card, return address printing, etc.

3) Quality. Can you touch & feel the product ahead of time? Thickness, feel, style, quality?

4) You, the bride, must proof the product. Have others (family, friends) read it & double-check for spelling & style.

5) Caution ~ if shopping online, look at their return policy, options, reprint fees, etc.

Pink Star Design will create a custom designed invitation to match your dream & vision. Trust the professional to take care of your special day’s 1^st impression!!

news :: april’s meeting at the mission valley marriott

admin — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:35:16 +0000

Photos courtesy of ABI Photo

The networking at our April meeting was impressive. We were hosted by the Mission Valley Marriott with our Event Manager Kim Tourtellott. We welcomed our guest Johann Cazorla, intern for Carmin Design Events. We enjoyed learning about the Mission Valley Marriott and its variety of ballrooms and events.

Our first showcaser Tiffany from CaliCards started her business in 2005. Her invitations are all custom, one of a kind, unique and fabulous. Her prices include packaging and addressing. Her philosophy is to be creative and make the invitation a glorious window to each event.

Our second showcaser was Diane from Silverwood. We were greeted to the sounds of Silverwood during our mingling time. Delightful and catchy tunes from Diane, Gary’s son Joel and Jason Coleman, vocalist. Extremely talented and devoted to their craft, it’s always a joy to listen to their music and variety of songs.

After a delicious lunch, our President, Ann from Ann’s Plans, discussed next month’s Open Forum topic “Presenting Yourself as a Vendor of Distinction”. Our new brochures were passed out ~ thank you Lola, Shannon and Tiffany. The brochures are dynamite, classy and fabulous! Raffle prizes were given away to Merrylin, Elaine and Susan.

We were reminded of the Celebration of Life for Peggi Walker at the Bali Hai that evening. An evening of food, dance and song ~ Kimmy, from Sensation Show Band, will be rockin’ the attendees and creating a festive, joyous atmosphere. Many WoD members are involved in this event, donating food to décor.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, May 24 at The Abbey. We appreciate the Marriott for their food, service and hospitality. We thank Paula Rae for the centerpieces and décor and Dennis Way for taking our photos.

After the hotel tour, we left happy, anticipating the start of another wonderful month of referring our WOD members!

real weddings:: elisabeth + brad

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:49:41 +0000

Brad and Elisabeth met on E-Harmony in 2007 and felt an immediate connection! Their wedding at the Powerhouse in Del Mar showed off the gorgeous Pacific Ocean to the many out of town friends and family who joined them from New York and Washington.

Here is part of their beautiful story from Elisabeth:

“Brad proposed on the night before a big trip to Italy (he was going to do it in Italy but was nervous about carrying the ring around). I was completely surprised, and it made an already romantic trip to Italy feel like a honeymoon! I am from Syracuse, New York and Brad is from Tacoma, Washington, so San Diego really felt like a vacation wedding to our guests. All of our vendors did such a great job and EVERYTHING was perfect – including an amazing sunset over the Pacific. I can honestly say that our wedding was the best day of my life. We are now so excited to be married and feel closer than ever. It’s amazing to know that we each get to spend our future with our best friend.”

Some of the fine Weddings of Distinction members shared in this gorgeous day: Studio Carre’ Photographie took some fantastic photos, seen here – all shot by Shannon Henry. Concepts Event Design created an indoor oceanic landscape with beautiful silk linens in shades of aqua and teal. Sweet Cheeks Baking Company created an ocean-inspired cake of this delicious combination: blackout chocolate cake filled with peanut butter mousse and Belgian chocolate whipped cream, tiered with red velvet cake with cream cheese filling, all frosted with Italian Butter Cream under the final layer of fondant, sugar bubbles, and white chocolate shells.

tips from the pros :: do your flower homework

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:40:29 +0000

When preparing to meet with your florist, it’s easy to think they are going to have all the answers! But, if you are aware of your own preferences and needs in advance of your first appointment, the experience will be much smoother.

It’s important to remember that it’s your wedding. It’s your florist’s job to enhance your personal style by translating it into the floral designs that will become your bouquets, ceremony decorations, and reception centerpieces, among other details.

The more you know about yourself and what you are hoping to see, the better your florist will be able to guide you and make recommendations that are perfectly suited to your tastes! It’s true that couples often come in the door with partial ideas and leave with a much clearer vision for their wedding day, simply because the flowers tie everything together. From the dresses to the favors – your wedding design develops through your planning with your florist.

With this in mind, these are the key things to do before appearing at your florist’s door:

1) Know your colors.
Even if the shades change from dark to light or earthy to spring fresh, the general color scheme is a major force of guidance.

2) Know your budget.
Your florist can help you maximize the amount you prefer to spend if he/she knows from the start how much there is to work with.

3) Explore your options!
Look online at all the many, many blogs/magazines/websites with pictures of real weddings to help inspire you and show you the creative options available to personalize your day.

written by Paula Anderson of Rae Florae

real weddings :: brad and ann

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:53:09 +0000

Anne and Brad chose to have a San Diego wedding, though their families reside in the Midwest and the South. The couple met while studying in San Diego and thought it would be the perfect location for a destination wedding. The couple chose to hold their event at a San Diego hotel along the bay because it’s sand and boardwalk created a quintessential San Diego feel. Anne and Brad hired wedding planner Cynthia, of Cynthia Zatkin Events, to coordinate every aspect of their day, from start to finish. Anne decided on a very simple motif of black, white, and light pink and the result was stunning. Her inspiration came from a black and white flower pattern piece of paper she found and she worked with Cynthia to design an elegant affair in that motif. The bridesmaids wore black cocktail dresses and carried light pink flowers. The reception combined black and white linens with pink flowers. The programs and menus, in black and white, picked up the floral motif from the inspiration piece of paper. To cap it all off, musicians Silverwood serenaded the guests throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour. The look and music created a serene and intimate affair.

wediquette :: venues

admin — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:37:28 +0000

One of the foundational elements of every wedding event is the location. Get the foundation right, and everything else will follow. The wedding ceremony and wedding reception location will help emphasize the magic, character, and vigor of your wedding day. San Diego has amazing scenic and desirable locations for any type of wedding – high quality resorts, ocean and nautical, desert and mountain, tropical and botanical, and all types of religious venues.
In your minds eye, where do you picture the perfect spot to honor each other and celebrate? — A traditional church, by the water (ocean, waterfall), in a floral garden, in a scenic countryside, in the clouds (skydiving), in a sports venue (stadium), on a high vista view, or in an exotic ethnic atmosphere?
As you may have guessed, usually the location works with the style or theme of the wedding. If you want a Victorian style wedding, you might select a serene garden or countryside location. For a Tropical wedding you might want a boat, waterfall, or a beach location. In a Southwestern type wedding, you might select a scenic sunset desert or a colorful Hispanic / Spanish style location.

Elbow Room
Think comfort and elbow room; this will help facilitate a celebratory atmosphere. When you visit a potential wedding or reception location, picture where everyone will be situated and how you and your guests will feel. For the ceremony, there should be enough room for the bride and groom, the wedding party, the supporting cast (officiant, musicians), and the total number of guests you invited. For the reception, there should be ample space for the guests, the activities you have planned (dancing, band, activities), and the amenities (gift table, food tables, cake / dessert table).

Ambiance
Before choosing a location, you should attempt to visit the wedding and reception location at exactly the same time of day as your event, to make sure there are no surprises. If it’s a private venue, perhaps you can attend prior to its start. On rare occasions, your venue might be in a more public area allowing for viewing while an event is in progress. It is, though, inappropriate to “crash” another person’s private affair.
• Look at the lighting and shadows. Is it too light or too dark? If the weather is raining or overcast will that make a big difference in the lighting? If outdoors, what is the contingency for inclement weather?
• Look at the colors. Will your wedding colors and theme go with the room? If you add your own personal touches of candles or unique centerpieces will they coordinate with the room?
• Listen to the sound. Is there an echo or are sounds muted? With microphones, music, and speaking will everyone be able to hear well?
KEY QUESTION – Ask the location vendor what options they have for incorporating your own unique touches – color, special items (e.g. candles), and music.

Private or Public
Decide if you want absolute privacy, a public environment, or a combination of both. Having the general public in your area can be either fun or a nuisance, depending on how you view it.
KEY QUESTION – Ask the location vendor what the public vehicle and foot traffic is like during the time of your event. If you want privacy, ask if there are any controls of the public that they can facilitate. If you want the public involved, ask how you can include everyone!.

Transportation and Parking
Make it easy for you and your guests to get to and from the location. Plan how you and guests will get to, from, and between the wedding and reception sites. Everyone should be focused on you and your day, not anxious about getting lost or having their car towed. There should be close and safe parking where it’s legal to park. If parking is a problem, alternative solutions like shuttles, limos, and trolleys can be delightfully memorable.
KEY QUESTION – Ask the location vendor what transportation and parking alternatives are available.

Combination Sites
Couples can simplify the wedding planning process by choosing a location that offers both a wedding ceremony and wedding reception site. Not only will this make things easy on you, but it will also save time and money. Combining wedding ceremony and reception sites:
• Saves time and money
• Decreases planning and coordination issues
• Allows for a seamless transition from ceremony to celebration
• Eliminates driving and parking stressors for guests unfamiliar with the area

Guest Lodging
Venues that offer guest lodging may also offer discounts towards the venue cost. Your guests will enjoy the convenience of going to their rooms after the reception has concluded. By choosing a wedding location with lodging options, you will:
• Maximize the time that you have with your family and friends
• Add fun and excitement to your wedding weekend
• Ensure that your guests will arrive on time for your special day
• Allows a safe option for guests who drink a bit too much at the reception

May you find the location that matches your special theme and style, to make your wedding amazing.