concepts event design | San Diego Weddings Of Distinction

real wedding event :: concepts event design

It was a wedding fit for the ages… timeless, elegant, and very much San Diego. The wedding of Lauren and Eric was just that! The wedding ceremony took place at the gorgeous Immaculata Church on the USD campus, the wedding began as a traditional celebration of family and friends. Yet, the couple, Lauren and Eric, added modern twists with vibrant colors/shades of pink, gold and black.

The reception followed at the Marriott Marquis, located on the San Diego Marina. The colors extended into the reception venue, and with colors in all shades on pink and white, the tented outdoor space turned into magical place where wedding guests could not only enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather, but could enjoy intimacy that the tent offered. Custom lighting, furniture, and decor were supplied by Concepts Event Design, and all the details, from the gold/black sequins tablecloths, to the gold table and chairs, perfectly paired with the couple’s vibrant, yet regal theme.

The wedding coordination was handled by another Weddings of Distinction vendor, First Comes Love Weddings & Events, and lets just say, we love when our vendors work together! And, when they work together perfectly, as Concepts Event Design and First Comes Love did, the result is a wedding so beautiful and so fun!

Photos Courtesy of True Photography

real wedding :: adam + sara

Weddings are unique and are a reflection of the couple, their style and tastes, and their upbringing. For Adam and Sara, their Indian wedding was the perfect combination of tradition and fun! This particular celebration was the couple’s 2nd one, as the week prior the bride’s side of family enjoyed their own party.

Coordinated by Cristina Gold, Adam and Sara’s special day took place at the Marriott La Jolla. Weddings of Distinction members, Concepts Event Design and Republic of Music, provided the uplighting/market lights and the entertainment, respectively. Republic of Music is one of San Diego’s premier live music and DJ entertainment, and this wedding was no exception…they provided a 15 piece dance band, Cocktail Duo (piano/vocalist), Professional DJ, 2 DHOL players (indian drummers), projector screens, as well as stage trussing! Then, to top it all off, patterned gobos were spread out throughout the reception room and dance floor!

The wedding was extremely high energy, and entertainment centered around numerous Indian performances by friends and family. There were times, though, when the groom, himself, surprised the bride with not only a choreographed dance, but with his own musical debut on drums! The groom wanted this night to feel like a concert, and with all the details, the band, the staging and lighting and more, its safe to say, he got what he wished for!

Photography Courtesy of Bob Hoffman Photo & Video

real wedding:: teresa + benny

Romance, romance, romance! That is what the wedding of Teresa and Benny was all about! Uplighting, flowers, tablescapes, and a custom monogram…all featured in pinks and blush tones that would make the most resistant person a romantic!

Their wedding paid respect to both their backgrounds, Italian, and like many traditional Italian weddings, the wedding of Teresa and Benny was big, blingy, and a ton of fun!

The reception was at the luxurious Marriott Coronado, so the couple and their guests had epic views of the San Diego city-line. And inside the venue, opulence that fit the couple’s style perfectly! Truly, all the details of this Italian wedding were perfect. With the help of two Weddings of Distinction members, wedding decor rentals from Concepts Event Design and wedding photography by Studio Carre Photographie, this wedding was so beautiful and elegant that Ceremony Magazine featured it on their blog!

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.

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!

artist love :: color + vibrancy for your wedding

Deciding on a color palette for your wedding? What if you used them all!?

Recently, many of our fabulous San Diego wedding vendors (and Weddings of Distinction members) collaborated for a styled shoot + tablescape design shoot that combined lots of vivid colors.

The shoot, called “Artist Love”, was envisioned by the talented wedding coordinator, Ann Strobel, of Ann’s Plans, and with the help of Hartworks Floral Design (floral arrangements), Sweet Cheeks Baking Company (delicious cupcakes), Pink Star Design (artsy stationary), Sandra Nicole Designs (bridal styling), D’Angelo Couture (wedding dresses), Concept Event Design (decor + linens), Meleah (hair and makeup), + Kristina Chartier Photography (photography), the vision turned into a colorful reality!

Set at The Bohannan Estate, this entire shoot evoked everyone’s artistic side. It was playful; it was colorful; any wedding would be fortunate to have such a unique design concept!

For more great (pinnable) photos from this shoot, visit Concepts Event Design’s BLOG POST!

:: 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!

news + press :: bowling to the classics at the december “meeting”

The holidays are for celebrating, celebrating with family and friends and just having a good time. So, that is exactly what we did for Weddings of Distinction ‘s December “meeting”: we celebrated the holidays with friends and loved ones, but we also added the Parkway Bowing Alley into the mix!

Attendance was a record-high for this festive night, and most everyone came decked out in “ugly” Christmas/Hanukkah sweaters! An award, at the end of the night, went out to the ugliest of them all, and the husband of Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.’s owner took home the prize.

A gift exchange allowed guests to open, swap and/or keep small presents, and many went home with random trinkets along with bellies full of “tasty bowling food.” It’s OK, though. We had the chance to work off the holiday treats by playing multiple games and dancing in between turns. Many of our vendor have some impressive moves, that’s all I can say!

At the end of the night, we all had a blast. We also realized that many of our vendors are much better at bowling than they led us to believe! It’s good to have options.

news + press :: november meeting at humphreys half moon inn

Photos courtesy of ABI Photography

Wedding of Distinction’s November meeting took place at Humphreys Half Moon Inn + Suites. Taking place just after the Thanksgiving holiday, November’s meeting was was our traditional sit-down meet and eat. We heard speeches by Sandra of Sandra Nicole, we met some new faces and potential new-members, and we enjoyed a delicious meal and dessert. All that, and we had an amazing view of the pier and boats on Shelter Island.

Humphreys Half Moon Inn + Suites is known for their fantastic concerts by the bay, and with its ample outdoor space and views of the “colorful marina,” if you haven’t been there yet, we highly recommend a trip there!

a wedding is just one kind of party

The holiday season is in full swing, and as November draws to a close and December rapidly approaches, many people start thinking party celebrations and holiday shindigs. Why not? The six weeks from Thanksgiving to New Years are a joyous time, and joyous times should be celebrated!

Weddings of Distinction is group made up of amazing vendors. Yes, as the name of our group suggests, we all may focus on weddings, but that does not mean the services of a DJ, a florist, a photographer, etc. could not be used for other occasions. After all, aren’t weddings just one kind of party? We love parties! So whether you’re getting married, or you want to add a special touch to a holiday get-together of your closest friends, one or more of the Weddings of Distinction vendors could help turn your ideas into a reality!

Want festive invitations? ………. We’ve got vendors for that!

Need family holiday photos? Or, want a sexy gift for your special someone? ………. We’ve got photographers for that!

Want a top-rated holiday party venue, as rated by Cvent? ………. The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is ready for action!

I think you see the point. Together, we make up Weddings of Distinction, but at the end of the day, the group is made up of individual companies that offer amazing work and/or services, both in the wedding industry and BEYOND!

Want to read more? Here are just a few links that showcase our vendors’ work!

Starlight Photo Booth

Pink Star Design Custom Invitations

The French Gourmet Holiday Wine Party

San Diego Events Lighting

news + press :: “spooktacular” october meeting

Photos Courtesy of Studio Carre’ Photographie

Weddings of Distinction‘s October meeting was non-traditional, and in the spirit of Halloween, we would not have had it any other way. With the help of San Diego Events Lighting, the studios of Hartworks Floral Design + Pink Star Design were transformed into a dark, yet vibrant space for a casual networking party. Complete with fluttering bats on the wall, a spooky-faced tree, and a plethora of candy/treats that would make a dentist mad, October’s WOD meeting put the fun into this function.

The French Gourmet provided delicious comfort food, ranging from fall soups, to nachos and cheese, and the collection of local wine and champagne kept the mood light. Many vendors came in costume, and if you are Jenn from Pink Star Design, you came in your child’s! Bag-lady, Batman, Cat-woman, 50’s woman, Maurice from Betwixt Studio: all the costumes were great!

Special thanks to ABI Photography for providing the photo-booth! Everyone in attendance had the chance to play with props and be goofy for the camera! It was a perfect addition to the Halloween festivities!

Tag: concepts event design