To get the party started off right, pre-poured glasses of wine were available as guests entered cocktail hour. This is a fantastic idea because the bartenders are always inundated at the very start of cocktail hour. Having glasses of pre-poured beverages either displayed or tray passed allows for a smoother transition from the ceremony.

Heavy candlelight paired with chocolate brown and sky blue linens made for a very warm reception. Ashley and Johnathan are truly loved. Thanks for letting us share in your day!

Team: Personal Touch Dining, MyDJs, Grove Pastry Shop, Posies Flowers, Pastors Ken and Pam Ingold from The Church at Rancho Bernardo,
Sean Loring Schofield for Amore Photography, Classic Film Works

Their intimate day time ceremony was at Cuvier Park (The Wedding Bowl) on the cliffs in La Jolla.  Rachel and Steve married under a bamboo arch adorned with white roses and ivy.

Because of their small guest count, Rachel and Steve were able to keep the reception very relaxed and comfortable in their private residence. TK&A created a delicious menu and provided excellent service, as always. We played soft music in the background on the speakers throughout the house and backyard.

When the kids entered the backyard their eyes got as big as saucers and their jaws dropped at the spread at the candy buffet. Guests of all ages helped themselves to the sweets and the whimsical cake from Twiggs turned heads.

Rachel did a great job of playing up the red and pink Valentine’s theme, yet kept the decor fairly simple and tasteful.

Congrats Rachel and Steve! I so loved being a part of your day!

Tip: Using a private residence can create an intimate space for your reception, but the prep work can bring some added stress. Make sure you have your carpet steam cleaned, consider using nice paper hand towels in the bathrooms so that your guests to do not have to use a wet cloth hand towel, have some where to hang coats – consider renting a wardrobe rack, make use of existing furniture, bring in stemware and china and hire wait staff.

Their ceremony and reception were held at Admiral Kidd Club on the Naval Fleet Anti-submarine Warfare Base. Since winter daylight was not in their favor, Giuliana and Rick chose to do a ‘first look’ at Balboa Park with their wedding party before the ceremony. Richard Santini of RHS Photo was easy going and efficient and got some great shots of the group.

Giuliana and her parents walked down the aisle just as the sun was setting, with the gorgeous San Diego skyline in the background.

They chose black and red for their primary wedding colors and incorporated snowflakes for a subtle winter accent. Nancy Stevens Wedding Flowers created the beautiful centerpieces with red orchids, manzanita bushes, hanging candles and crystals.

Giuliana and Rick incorporated their story into the wedding day by creating a photo timeline. They included photos of them as young children, photos together from high school (so sweet) and from present day. Guests really enjoyed seeing the photos and remembering old times!

It was a wonderful evening! Thanks for letting us be a part of your day.

- Erin and Jen

In addition to having an engagement photo book for guests to sign, Sabrina created time capsules for their first, fifth, tenth and twentieth anniversaries. Guests were asked to make predictions about the bride and groom’s future such as when they will have their first child, how many children they will have, where they might be living and how they spend their ‘free’ time. It was a great idea that created memories for years to come.

Shane chose one of the coolest cake toppers I have ever seen…a LEGO bride and groom!

I had an opportunity to work with two amazing new-to-me vendors for Sabrina and Shane’s wedding: Megan from Megan Ann Photography and the guys of FortyOneTwenty. They were professional and a lot of fun to work with. Check out their websites for photos and video of Sabrina and Shane’s wedding!

Vance returned from deployment just a week before their wedding and couldn’t have been more happy to marry the love of his life!