bryan miller | San Diego Weddings Of Distinction

Real Wedding :: Nicole + Sean | La Valencia Hotel

“I don’t know how Lois Mathews did it, but I felt like she went into my head and found every memory of my grandmother…my mother and my family’s elegance, warmth and tradition. [She} put it together to create the most amazing feeling and atmosphere. I felt like I was surrounded with all my favorite things in my life. Every table had different elements and the most beautiful flowers and lace.”

Sometimes it helps to hear from the bride’s mouth exactly what she thought of her wedding, and the above comments came directly from Nicole about the work of Lois Mathews Design, a special and talented wedding floral designer with Weddings of Distinction. She, along with fellow WoD vendors, Bryan Miller Photography and Artistic Productions, plus other great San Diego wedding vendors, made Nicole and Sean’s day magical.

The story of how they met is pretty awesome: Nicole (living in Detroit at the time) was visiting her parents over Thanksgiving. During her stay, she decided to take the dogs to the dog park in Little Italy. She was in her PJs, mind you! Upon entering the park, one of her dogs ran up to play with a doggie friend. Much to her embarrassment and surprise, both the other dog and its owner were pretty cute! Nicole was so embarrassed, but it didn’t matter, Sean thought she was beautiful. While she left CA the next day, 6 months later she had a chance to move to San Diego. The two connected at that time, and the rest is history.

They were married at the end of December last year. Their wedding and reception were at the historic and iconic, La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, a Weddings of Distinction venue. They were treated to food and service that was truly First Class.

The ceremony took place on the terrace, and Lois designed an amazing lace and floral chuppah, under which the couple exchanged vows. The day started out beautiful, yet at about 3:00 in the afternoon, right before the ceremony was to begin, dense fog rolled in and made everything dark. Yet as luck would have it, just as the wedding party lined up, the fog retreated and the sun came back out! The couple, and their family and friends, thought it was an interesting circumstance, and the couple’s Rabbi, who was a long time family friend, joked during the ceremony that he could take the credit!

Everything, from the details in the bride’s dress, to the flowers, to the details at the reception, made this wedding better than the couple could have ever imagined! Wedding DJ, and WoD vendor, Bob Brichmann of Artistic Productions, played tunes that ranged from classics of the 1940s to modern pop of today.

The wedding may have been intimate (only 40 guests), but the combination of great music, good food, and the company and friends and family made this wedding extra special. That, combined with professional and talented wedding vendors, made the couple feel “so blessed.”

Ceremony String Music: Elian Strings

Wedding Cake: Cake in Mission Hills

Bridal Gown: Isis

news + press :: april’s luau at the bali hai restaurant

Photos courtesy of Bryan N. Miller Photography

We didn’t really have a luau, but it sure felt tropical at April’s meeting at the Bali Hai Restaurant. Located on San Diego’s Shelter Island, the Bali Hai Restaurant boasts amazing views of San Diego Bay and the city skyline. Special thanks to the restaurant’s staff, our Weddings of Distinction meeting was located in the Tiki Room, which has some of best views from the entire restaurant! We were able to network and share leads in this intimate space while at the same time as taking in the spectacular views of the bay.

The meal was delicious, and unlike other meetings, we each had the choice of our main entrée! Four, delectable choices were available to us, and one of which was the famous burger, which, in 2012, won top-5 honors as the best burger in San Diego!

After the meal and dessert, we heard from Marc Lehman, of The Emotion Picture Studio, and he shared with the group the amazing wedding videography services his company offers. Many in the group were not fully aware of the extent of Marc’s company/services, so we were pleasantly surprised to hear about his famous iDO Cam, which allows couples and their guests the option of recording their own footage of the special day! It is such an amazing solution for wedding video because it allows couples to not miss out on video, but gives them the opportunity to save some money and still have that video professionally edited! Wow, right? That’s what we all said!

It was a great afternoon. The food was satisfying; the view was spectacular; and the weather, well its San Diego, and it was a perfect San Diego spring day. Special thanks to Dawn Stone, of Embellishmint Floral & Event Design, for the gorgeous succulent centerpieces; to Bryan Miller, of Bryan N. Miller Photography, for the great images, and of course to the Bali Hai Restaurant for the hospitality.

:: style + inspiration at the US Grant’s ‘swoon 4’ bridal show

Spring is a season of new beginnings. It’a a time when people begin to get out more, and enjoy the outdoors. Well, for those in the wedding industry (and for those getting married), spring is the unofficial start of wedding planning season!

At the beginning of March, the US Grant hotel hosted its annual “Swoon 4 Bridal Event“, and in true fashion, they truly outdid themselves. Many of Weddings of Distinction’s vendors (the US Grant included) took part in this special day, and in doing so, claimed themselves among the finest San Diego wedding vendors.

The day-long bridal event spanned three floors and three ballrooms with loads of inspiration for couples. Whether one is getting married in the fall, or in the winter, the event had special rooms dedicated to inspire the fall or winter brides! Whites and silvers adorned the “Winter” room; vibrant colors and outdoorsy furniture decorated the “Spring/Summer” room. There was a room specifically for groom’s, and there were others for the brides and even the ceremony itself! Food and drink was plentiful, so couples were able to enjoy specialty cuisine from local San Diego wedding caterers. Also, thanks to the donations from local wedding boutiques, brides were able to visualize different bridal looks during the fashion show finale!

There was so much to see and touch and experience; no stone was left unturned. One could have spent the entire afternoon, and many did just that!

So, if you’re getting married in San Diego, there are many reputable San Diego wedding vendors to choose from. Weddings of Distinction is likely to have many of the as a part of our group!

WoD vendors represented: Lois Mathews Design, San Diego Events Lighting, Sweet Cheeks Baking Company, Concepts Event Design, Ann’s Plans, Hartworks Floral, Artistic Productions, Bryan Miller Photography, Pink Star Design, Stone Brewery, and of course, the US Grant Hotel!

Photos courtesy of Kristina Chartier Photography

For more pictures of the event, please visit the US Grant’s Facebook page!

member spotlight :: bryan miller photography

Recently we interviewed Bryan Miller of Bryan Miller Photography, and lets just say, it is really interesting how he got his start as a San Diego wedding photographer! Read on to find out how this great wedding photographer found his special place in the industry.

> How long have you been a wedding photographer?

I first picked up a camera just after high school and had photographed personal projects off and off until 2008.

It was late 2008/early 2009 that I photographed my first wedding. At the time I was working in the surf and skate industry up in Orange County, (for action sport companies like Roxy + Quiksilver), and a co-worker asked if I could shoot his wedding. That was an amazing experience! It got my wheels spinning; ideas started to build about how to do this professionally.

I didn’t jump right into it, though. I sat on the business idea for a little while and continued to work in the surf and skate industry while also shooting for other photographers and learning the ropes. It wasn’t long before I realized it was now or never, so I took a leap of faith and initiated the next steps towards starting my business. I knew I loved it; I just needed to go for it.

> So, what was your plan? How did you establish yourself?

I went back to basics: word-of-mouth networking and face-to-face connections. It was all about sharing the enthusiasm for what I was doing and how I approached documenting weddings. It’s difficult putting yourself out there for everyone to judge but I was (and still am) confident in the images I had created and that I could help couples remember a very important day in their lives.

> How are you different from then to now?

I’ve definitely grown more confident as a photographer and I feel I’m always pushing myself to become a better photographer.

> How would you describe your photography style?

Before I started, one of my biggest frustrations with wedding photography was the stale and rigid approach. I’d love to help change the perception that wedding photography should be all posed. I want to provide an experience that is organic and unique and showcases the emotions from the beginning of the day right down to the very last dance.

I would say that my style is that of a storyteller than anything else. I’m not sure how to define it, exactly, but moment-driven and journalistic are close descriptions.

> Do you have a business mantra or philosophy?

‘Capturing moments between moments…’

> How do you convey this approach to your clients?

My work tends to attract a certain type of clientele. My clients are very laid back, very organic and sentimental. I am not a formal person nor am I am formal photographer. So when I talk to clients, I tell them that if they want photographs that encapsulate the spontaneity of real life and that capture and tell stories of them as a couple at their wedding, then I can help.

> Do you shoot other events besides weddings?

My entire calendar revolves around weddings and engagement sessions for my couples. I actually try to encourage couples to have an e-session with me if I am shooting their wedding. The engagement session gives me a chance to learn the couple more intimately, learn what their likes and dislikes are, what their personal chemistry is. All are very important things leading to the wedding day.

> What does being a member of Weddings of Distinction mean to you?

It’s flattering. I learned of the group from Paula Rae, of Rae Florae. I worked with her on a project that received a lot of exposure, and since then she has really supported my career and me. She’s the reason I am in WOD.

Since Weddings of Distinction is an invite-only group, I know I am amongst high-quality wedding vendors. I would love to work with everyone in the group in time. Together we help couples create a wedding day for them to cherish and together we can all help each other create businesses and lives that we love and that reward us.

> Any interesting facts or tidbits about yourself that people would be interested to know?

Well, being 6’ 6”, people always notice my height. But I’m from the Midwest, grew up in Illinois, and I moved to California in 1995.

I also am a pretty outdoorsy person. Recently, I hiked 9 miles of the Lost Coast with my now fiancé. I proposed to her during the hike, which was a memorable time for us for many reasons. Its interesting, now that I’m engaged myself and going through the engagement process, I am able to walk in the same shoes as my couples, and I think it’s great to have that shared experience. (Blog post: http://www.bmillerweddings.net/blog/the-lost-coast)

> What advice do you have for those planning a wedding?

Enjoy your engagement. It is a pretty short period of time and the majority of it will be spent planning your wedding. Enjoy your engagement and the experience of being together during this brief time.