an exclusive bridal event :: Bridal Soiree in San Diego

For the best and most fashionable bridal event in San Diego, the Bridal Soiree is sure to be on the top of the list!  Taking place this Sunday, April 6th, from 3:00-6:00pm, at the Westin Hotel in the Gaslamp District, this year’s soiree will offer plenty of bridal fashion and beauty inspiration. Many Weddings of Distinction vendors have teamed up: Beauti-on-the-Go, a mobile makeup and hairstyling company, stylists Sandra Nicole Design, and Studio Carre Photographie. These vendors, along with other remarkable San Diego wedding vendors, will bring you an event that is both informative, inspirational, and fun.

Get your tickets today!  Bring your family, friends, and enjoy an afternoon of luxury!

Bridal Event in San Diego

You’re Invited…to a Bridal Soiree!

For the best and most fashionable bridal event in San Diego, the Bridal Soiree is sure to be on the top of the list!  Taking place Sunday, April 6th, from 3:00-6:00pm, at the Westin Hotel in the Gaslamp District, this year’s soiree will offer plenty of bridal fashion and beauty inspiration. Many Weddings of Distinction vendors have teamed up: Beauti-on-the-Go, a mobile makeup and hairstyling company, stylists Sandra Nicole Design, and Studio Carre Photographie. These vendors, along with other remarkable San Diego wedding vendors, will bring you an event that is both informative, inspirational, and fun.

So, get your tickets today!  Bring your family and friends, and enjoy an afternoon of luxury!

Bridal Event in San Diego

Bridal Soiree

 It was a perfect night!  This year’s Bridal Soiree, held at the beautiful Westin Hotel – Gaslamp District, welcomed brides and family and friends for an evening of wedding inspiration.  About 65 attendees enjoyed the night, and many San Diego wedding vendors, including six Weddings of Distinction members, were among those showcasing their amazing talents.  

San Diego Weddings

Mary Hager of the Westin hosted, and the space was perfect for such an event.  Brandi McMillian, of Beauti-on-the-Go, and Sandra Busczek, of Sandra Nicole Designs, helped plan the events.  Then, Maria Harmon, of San Diego Events Lighting supplied the up-lights that created the gorgeous purple hue that turned the outdoor space into a regal bridal environment.  Concepts Event Design provided beautiful draping to make the space unique, and finally Artistic Productions played the tunes and created the upbeat vibe that kept the guests’ toes tapping and smiling.  

This event was not the typical wedding soiree.  Upon entering, each bride received a shopping bag filled with goodies from every vendor, and inside each were products and incentives that could be used/redeemed for their wedding and/or the planning process. While the opportunity was for talented wedding vendors to showcase their work, it was by no means intended to solicit or pressure.  The intent was to inspire, and that was what it did!  

Hor d’oeuvres, signature drinks.  It was an opportunity for brides to get hands-on experience with the wedding process: from hair and makeup demos, to accessorizing fun, to bridal gowns, decor, photography and video and more!

The event was a huge success, and the feedback we got from brides was so positive.  What we heard most: it was a relaxing event, among beautiful surroundings, and a great opportunity to spend quality time talking with vendors.  All around: a really, really good time.  Talks are already in the works for next year’s soiree!

Weddings in San Diego

Bridal Soirée :: An Exclusive San Diego Bridal Event

 Many Weddings of Distinction vendors will be participating in an upcoming event for local brides: the Bridal Soirée.  Taking place on Thursday, October 24th, from 6:00 – 9:00pm, at the Westin Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, this event will feature some of the top wedding vendors in San Diego.

Six of our amazing wedding vendors will be in attendance: The Westin Hotel (Wedding Venue), San Diego Events Lighting (Lighting + Effects), Artistic Productions (Wedding DJ + Emcee), Beauti-on-the-Go (Hair + Makeup), Sandra Nicole Designs (Bridal Accessories), and Concept Event Design (Event Decor).

Brides-to-be are welcome to join in for an evening of fashion + beauty inspiration.  The evening is sure to be lots of fun!

Register today for your spot to one of San Diego’s exclusive bridal events!

Bridal Event in San Diego

steampunk wedding :: a WOD collaboration

 

When you combine steam-powered machinery, with the fashion of late 19th century Victorian era, the result is an edgy, fashionable look at history.  That style is known as ‘steampunk.’

Steampunk incorporates elements of fantasy, historical fiction, as well as elements of speculation.  It is dark, bold, and it happens to be trending lately.  Steampunk is a theme that many couples are incorporating into their weddings!

Studio Carre' Photography

So, recently, many San Diego wedding vendors came together to assemble their own scene(s) for an amazing photo shoot that captured the best elements of this fascinating genre.  What took a lot of planning and creativity, the shoot came together perfectly.  So perfectly, in fact, that Ceremony Magazine’s Blog featured the shoot in a recent post!

It started, though, like all good things, as an idea, an idea fabricated by Shannon Henry (Studio Carré), Ann Strobel (Ann’s Plans) and Dawn Stone (Embellishmint Floral + Event Design).  They were intrigued by the elements of Steampunk, and they were noticing the growing trend among couples to incorporate Steampunk elements into their weddings.  So, the seed was planted.  They talked; they coordinated; they collaborated and invited others to join.

The result: an amazingly creative collection of images.  Everyone worked together and each contributed his or her specific element of specialty; no detail was left unturned.

Set on location at the historic Mt. Woodson Castle, in Ramona, CA, the castle’s rustic design elements fit perfectly for the shoot that takes you back in time.  The models, thanks to hair and makeup artists, Beauti on the Go, had big, dramatic hair and were embellished with hats and headpieces by Sandra Nicole Designs.   The clothing and dresses from Provence Bride by Allyson Simone were vintage-style and had black accents.  From the antique furniture, to the blackboard design, to the detail of the glasses, florals and ceremony site, every design element coordinated perfectly.

Studio Carre' Photography

Vendors Involved:

Photography – Studio Carré

Design + Prop Accessory/Vignette Rentals – Ann’s Plans

Floral + Accessory Design – Embellishmint Floral + Event Design

Hair + Makeup – Beauti on the Go

Head Pieces and Accessories – Sandra Nicole Designs + Ann’s Plans

Bridal Gowns – Provence Bride by Allyson Simone

Furniture Rental – Rashae Taylor

Chalkboard Design – Lucky to be in Love

Cake – Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.

Custom Bar – Snake Oil Cocktail Company

Buffet Breakfast + Lunch – Personal Touch Dining

Venue – Mt. Woodson Castle

Studio Carre, Weddings of Distinction, Steampunksan diego weddingsweddings in san diego

:: what’s your bridal style?

Are you bold, or are you simple?  Modern or vintage?  Bridal style is as unique as we are as individuals.  Recently, a few of our   Weddings of Distinction vendors collaborated on a styled shoot to capture some of today’s most popular bridal looks: natural, whimsical, romantic, modern, glamorous, and vintage.

What took a lot of preparation and loads of talent, Shannon Henry of Studio Carre´ photographed these stunning looks.  They were so stunning, in fact, that San Diego-based magazine, FINE Magazine, featured the shoot in April 2013’s issue!

With the help of hair and makeup stylist, Brandi McMillan, of Beauti-on-the-Go; stylist, Sandra Buczek, of Sandra Nicole Designs; flowers by Isari Floral + Design Studio, and bridal couture from Elyse Reuben Couture, Studio Carre´got some amazing images that really showcased these distinct bridal styles.

Which one best fits you?

news + press :: going back in time in old town San Diego

San Diego Weddings of Distinction

Photos courtesy of Betwixt Studio

It was the most perfect San Diego spring day, where the sun was out, Spring felt like summer, and lunch on the patio made us all realize that life is good.  March’s Wedding of Distinction luncheon was celebrated at the Cosmopolitan Restaurant + Hotel in historic Old Town San Diego, and attendance was a record-high for this month’s gathering.

Hosted by the gracious Lynn Simpson, Director of Catering with the Cosmopolitan, this meeting was as much about networking as it was about getting in touch with our San Diego roots.  The Cosmopolitan is a special place in San Diego and the structure and design of the building now are almost exactly as it was back in the 1800’s!  It felt as though we all went back in time.  Prior to lunch, we had access to the full-service patio bar, which made a delicious signature sangria for our event.  While we drank and completed a fun scavenger hunt of sorts, we networked with one another and offered referrals.

A four-course lunch was served on the patio, admist the fruit trees, vegetables and unique centerpieces provided by Carmin Cermak.  After the meal, we heard from two of our vendors: the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and Beauti-on-the-Go.  They shared information about their venue and services, respectively, and Beauti-on-the-Go even offered a special prize to one lucky guest!

It was a great afternoon, one that filled our bellies with food and drink and satisfied our curiosity for San Diego ghost stories!