news + press :: networking meeting at the Dana Hotel

2014 is officially underway, and last month, our meeting was hosted by our newest venue-member, the Dana Hotel.  With beautiful views and a 3-course lunch, this meeting did not disappoint.

We heard from Cynthia Zatkin, of CZ Events.  She explained the evolution of her wedding coordination business and described in detail the special care and attention she offers her couples.  We also heard from La Valencia Hotel.  “La V” as it is being rebranded as, is in the midst of renovations and again, rebranding, so Bobby Fader, the Catering Manager there, described the plans, the work that has already been done, and what we can expect to see going forward from the hotel in general.

It was a great afternoon.  We are pleased to have the Dana as one of our members!

networking lunch

Photos courtesy of E3 Photography

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.” 

Real Wedding San Diego

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.”

San Diego weddings

 

Ceremony String Music: Elian Strings

Wedding Cake: Cake in Mission Hills

Bridal Gown: Isis

news + press :: january meeting at la valencia hotel

 

San Diego Weddings of Distinction

Photos courtesy of ABI Photo

We kicked off 2013 in grand style, and for January’s Wedding of Distinction meeting, our fabulous vendors congregated to the La Valencia Hotel in beautiful La Jolla Village.  La Valencia is one of the newest members to join our select group, so this meeting was a great opportunity for all of us to see just what this beautiful hotel offers guests and couple getting married.

It may have been a work day, but we started the morning with mimosas outside on the Garden.  While waiting for lunch to be served, we had breathtaking views of the ocean.  Then, when lunch was served, we were all treated to a delicious family-style, 3-course meal created by Executive Chef Paul McCabe made up of striped bass and gnocchi with seasonal vegetables.

During and after the meal, we had the chance to “meet” our new Board members, listen to updates, and share ideas for the coming year.  We also heard from the staff of the La Valencia about exciting things coming up for the historical hotel!  The afternoon ended with prizes of fruit tarts, truffles, and flowers.

It was a great time to enjoy the company of friends, new and old, and get excited about another year of great weddings and events.

Special thanks to: Lois Mathews Design for the centerpieces; Concepts Event Design for the linens and tables + chairs, and of course to the staff La Valencia Hotel for the hospitality.

real weddings :: seth and marie

La Valencia Hotel weddingimages courtesy of Sara France

Marie and Seth were married in La Jolla at the La Valencia Hotel, a quintessential old Hollywood wedding venue that featured a grassy ceremony site overlooking the La Jolla waterfront and a classic black and white ballroom. The couple hired wedding planner and Weddings of Distinction member Cynthia, of Cynthia Zatkin Events, to coordinate every aspect of their day from start to finish. Since Marie has a fantastic tattoo across her back, Cynthia worked with her and local gown designer Valena Valentina to create a custom wedding dress that showcased the bride’s gorgeous back. For décor, the bride chose bright pink flowers for the ceremony and cocktail hour and then monochromatic white, green, and gold flowers and linens for the dinner reception. The colors and style blended with the atmosphere of the old Hollywood hotel. DJ Andy Hagenah, who is also a member of Weddings of Distinction, spun tunes that kept the dance floor packed. The highlight of the evening was when the groom’s two teenage daughters showcased their talents by serenading the bride and groom and then pushing Andy aside to spin 30 minutes of house music. After the wedding day, Marie sent wedding coordinator Cynthia a note saying that her guests so enjoyed the day that they were describing it as “the best wedding ever”.