lois mathews | San Diego Weddings Of Distinction

news + press :: april meeting at the kona kai resort

What a beautiful day, in a beautiful resort, all in America’s Finest City. For April’s Wedding of Distinction luncheon we visited the newly remodeled Kona Kai Resort, a beachfront property boasting not only a private marina and beach, but also views of San Diego’s city skyline.

Our networking luncheon was served outside, in one of the Resort’s open spaces just by the marina and pool. The day was hot, but it was so nice to be outside, in the sun, getting our Vitamin D. We were all blown away with the level of class and sophistication of the Resort’s decor, and the reason being that it was only recent that the hotel has recently undergone a major overhaul and renovation. Before we actually sat to lunch, we got a tour of the grounds, inside and out, so we were really able to gather the extensive level of renovation. It is such a beautiful transformation!

During our meal, we heard from Lois Mathews, of Lois Mathews Design, wedding florist extraordinaire. She told us of her start with wedding flowers, and interestingly, she stumbled into her special niche. We also heard from Carmin Cermak, known in our group as a wedding coordinator, but what many do not know is that Carmin also has experience designing wedding flowers and arrangements. It was not until her speech that many in the group learned that part of her business!

All in all, the day was perfect. The meal was delicious. And the company was enjoyable. It was great to see just how much this resort has transformed, and with it, the grounds have become the perfect: modern, yet beachy…truly perfect for any San Diego wedding!

Photos courtesy of Eddie Garcia | E3 Photography

news + press :: may’s networking meeting

Each month, our group is lucky to travel and experience some of the best San Diego wedding venues/ wedding food/etc., yet this most recent experience at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe was pretty much mind-blowing.

Nestled in the rolling hills of Rancho Santa Fe, the Inn is small, quaint and classy…the perfect representation for the village it’s located in! We knew it would be beautiful just based on the location and decor, but what really blew our minds was the meal and spread. Head chef, Brian Black, coordinated a meal so perfect, not only for the start of the summer season, but so delicious and paired on point with the drinks, the bread, just EVERYTHING!! Who knew that such a fantastic experience was to be had at a place often overlooked when compared to coastal wedding locations!

Lois Mathews provided the floral centerpieces, and in an atmosphere so romantic and elegant, her choice of flowers fit the scene perfectly. We dined; we networked; we toured the amazing space. And with a belly full of perfectly-paired courses of food, we left the Inn with an appreciation of this small wedding venue that can, undoubtedly, boast an overall experience truly unparalleled!!

Photos courtesy of McGuire Photography

news + press :: july meeting at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel + Marina

Life is San Diego is pretty spectacular, and when you’re part of a group that takes you to one of the finest wedding venues in San Diego for lunch, life gets that much more spectacular. For July’s meeting we traveled to the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, located bay front with amazing views of America’s Finest City.

We started the afternoon outdoors, on the Bay View Lawn, with a sunny and warm reception hour with small bites and custom lunchtime cocktails. The view of the docked boats and the crystal-clear blue skies made everyone’s mood happy. Then, we moved the luncheon indoors, into the Sheraton’s Harbor Island Ballroom, which still offered stunning views of the harbor with its tall windows throughout.

Our speakers this month: Maryanne McGuire, of McGuire Photography, and Andy Hangenah, of “The Groove,” formerly “Disc-Go-Round DJ.” Maryanne shared with her start as a wedding photographer, from her beginnings in NY state, to her travels out west. Andy explained the evolution of his wedding DJ business, and how the re-branding of his company and changing the name to “The Groove” actually came from a client of his! It was great to gain insight into these two about their starts and to see how they’ve come to where they are today!

Our “Tips-from-the-Pros” series continued this month, and it was the florists in our group, Lois Mathews, Frankie Hartwell, and Dawn Stone, that shared insight into the extent of the work a wedding flower designer can do for a wedding. Many may not realize that so much more goes into wedding flowers, not just designing bouquets and arrangements!

The meeting ended with a 50/50 raffle and a gracious giveaway from the Sheraton Hotel. Next month: we travel to Paradise Point Hotel & Spa. Stay tuned!!

Photos courtesy of E3 Photography

WoD Features in Ceremony Magazine

Our vendors truly at top of the line, and when their respective work gets featured in a high-end bridal magazine, we’re impressively proud. For a few of our amazing wedding vendors, their work has been featured in the latest issues of Ceremony Magazine. Ceremony is an exclusive magazine publication, and to have so many features in the final print, which are distributed all over California, is impressive.

If you’re not able to pick up a hard copy of the magazine, we’ve done the work for you! Enjoy a slideshow of images from the most recent issue, in which: Lois Mathews Design, Kristina Chartier Photography, Sweet Cheeks Baking Co., Betwixt Studio, Concepts Event Design, and Studio Carre’ Photographie are featured!

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

real weddings :: dagna + kyle

Let’s start with a little background from Dagna, about how she and Kyle met:

“Kyle and I “met” when I was about 18. I don’t recall who struck up the initial conversation, but we immediately clicked. We both belonged to a College Aged Republicans group on MySpace (go ahead and make your jokes, but without MySpace we wouldn’t have met!) From the get go, I found him incredibly funny and intelligent. We shared the same views and passions, and let’s be honest the extremely handsome part didn’t hurt! We would spend hours online and on the phone discussing politics and our lives. He always made me laugh! From the very beginning I knew I would be with him one day…”

Photos courtesy of Studio Carre’ Photographie

Dagna + Kyle are a great couple; they’re truly down to earth, easy going, and open to creativity. As a couple, they love to think out of the box, and their wedding reflected their unique personality. The Prado at Balboa Park provided the perfect backdrop for this couple, and with the help of Ann (of Ann’s Plans), their special day was perfectly coordinated; Lois Mathews Designs created the beautiful floral designs and accents; Artistic Productions provided the musical/DJ entertainment, and Studio Carre’ Photographie captured the memories.

member spotlight :: lois mathews floral designer

Lois Mathews Design is dedicated to creating a unique wedding for each and every bride. Lois’ years of floral and party experience, coupled with your ideas, help create your “dream” wedding. Lois takes a personal interest in each bride and adapts her designs to suit her bride and groom’s personal tastes. Prior to starting her own business, Lois worked at various venues around San Diego, including the legendary Hotel Del Coronado. Lois possesses an intense passion for her work and exemplifies trustworthiness ~ key factors for success. As advice for brides, Lois can adjust her design materials to fit client’s budgets. One way is to buy seasonal products from local markets. Another is to take advantage of equipment and décor items Lois has gathered and stored over the years. To plan for your special day, visit Lois by appointment at her vintage barn and garden studio in Bankers Hill.

Email: lois@loismathews.com
Phone: 619.255.9144

real weddings :: ben and tricia

images courtesy of cary pennington photography

A classic, vintage wedding is what Tricia and Ben envisioned for their wedding day and with the help of Weddings of Distinction members, their expectations were exceeded.
Definitive Events was selected as their wedding coordinators and worked closely with all of the vendors to provide flawless execution on the wedding day. Their reception was in the historic Grand Ballroom of The Prado, who also catered the event with exquisite dishes and provided exceptional service. Lois Mathews lavished the room with her creative floral designs. She completed the vintage look with her elegant pearl draped candelabras and vibrant florals. The wedding was more than Tricia & Ben imagined and the perfect send off to their new life in Italy.

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