san diego weddings of distinction | San Diego Weddings Of Distinction

May Meeting: Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach

Offering nearly 15,000 sq. ft. of adaptable space in nine flexible indoor and outdoor venues, the Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach hotel features a beautiful outdoor Garden Terrace for your dream wedding. This hotel will accommodate up to 400 people for your next special occasion. For more intimate gatherings, celebrate your next banquet at our Carlsbad, CA hotel with up to 250 seated guests in the spacious Wavecrest Ballroom.

Venue: Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach

Photographer: Maryanne McGuire Photography

Real Wedding :: Leo Carrillo Ranch wedding

Mike Hogan of Entertainment At Large had this to say about a recent wedding he provided entertainment for. Leo Carrillo Ranch was absolutely the perfect venue for Devin and Leesa. They were looking for something unique and relaxed and the Ranch fit the bill. The décor was amazing and Personal Touch Dining got to break out their new Corn Hole Game which was a big hit during the cocktail hour. It was a Sunday afternoon wedding so brunch was served and of course the food was amazing, you’ve gotta like French Toast at a wedding! I loved Devin and Leesa’s eclectic taste in music and the dance floor was packed all afternoon!! A special thanks to Leah and Nikka for being so great to work with, you both made for a great celebration!

DJ – Mike Hogan – Entertainment At Large

Caterer – Personal Touch Catering

Real Weddings :: Golden Deliciousness!

Check out these golden beauties from Sweet Cheeks Baking Company.

Pale blush with gold leaf details wedding cake, Blush & Gold cake, Gold Painted cake with a laser cut topper.

news + press :: February’s meeting at the Prado

Located in the heart of Balboa Park, The Prado Restaurant is one of San Diego’s historic dining experiences. Offering the perfect backdrop for parties, meetings and special events, The Prado features 22,000 square feet of meeting space indoors and out to accommodate groups up to 2,500 guests. An on-site professional staff blends the expertise of special event planning with the flair for the unusual, which makes for a unique party experience. We really enjoyed ourselves!

Photographer Maryanne McGuire provided the excellent images you see below.

Mike Hogan shared about his business, Entertainment at Large. We also discovered and got to hear Mike’s auctioneer talents. “Going once, going twice…!” The meeting was over! We are looking forward to our next networking event.

news + press :: January’s meeting at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter

Our first meeting of 2017 started off with chill meditation as we focused on all things good and positive, thank you officiant Deborah Young . The new board was recognized and birthdays were celebrated.

The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter was a great venue for our first meeting of the year and is the ultimate backdrop for San Diego weddings. This modern and sophisticated hotel is located adjacent to the Horton Plaza Shopping & Entertainment mall making it a great location for San Diego weddings. Thank you Eddie Garcia of E3 Photography for the photos!

news + press :: june’s meeting at stone brewing company

Stone Brewing Co. is one of San Diego’s finest beer breweries, yet many do not realize that at the brewery’s main location in Escondido, CA, there is ample indoor and outdoor space for weddings and events! So, for June’s Weddings of Distinction meeting, the group traveled to North County San Diego and enjoyed a spectacular buffet lunch and beer pairing in one of the brewery’s main meeting rooms. Not bad for a Tuesday afternoon!

Upon arriving in the space, guests were welcomed by the vocals the group’s newest vocalist, Celeste Barbier. She is an amazing Jazz/Blues/Retro-style singer and performer. Her voice is soothing, and her style was the perfect accompaniment to the meeting’s “cocktail” and networking hour!

After some time to talk and tour the grounds, lunch was served, buffet-style. Pairings and tasters were available to those that wanted to day-drink, and for those that had to go back to work, non-alcholic options were available! We had a guest who spoke to the group about managing money for small business, so besides being social, we also learned something to take with us on our ways.

It was a great afternoon. We ate; we drank; we networked. We are thrilled to have Stone Brewing Co. as a member of our group! Not only does Stone offer delicious craft beer, but for those beer enthusiasts getting married, a wedding at Stone Brewery, whether in Escondido or one of their other San Diego locations, may just be the perfect fit!

Photos courtesy of McGuire Photography

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

real wedding :: stephanie + matthew

It was a the perfect fall day, but in San Diego, it always feels like summer. The outdoor wedding of Stephanie and Matthew took place at the beautiful Hilton San Diego Bayfront, in one of the hotel’s outdoor gardens. The colors were blush , ivory and white, and against the backdrop of San Diego’s vibrant Bay, the ceremony was romantic as it was elegant.

The reception followed, not at the Hilton, but at the Westgate Hotel in the nearby Gaslamp District. The couple, in true fairy-tale fashion, made the few mile trek to the reception location via no other than, a horse carriage! Thanks to Always & Forever Carriage Company, Stephanie and Matthew kept the romantic spirit of their ceremony alive, and arrived to their reception to party the night away.

Thanks to the coordinating efforts of Carmin Cermak, all the details of the multi-location wedding had to be timed perfectly. And, of course, it was! Carmin also worked to coordinate the florals, which in line with the bride’s colors of blush, ivory and white, were soft and romantic.

The wedding cake was provided by Sweet Cheeks Baking Company. The cake was a classic, 4-tiered masterpiece, and just like this beautiful couple, it has elements that were romantic and whimsical.

Photos Courtesy of Dan Rice Photography

real wedding :: vicky + brett

San Diego is one of California’s best wedding locations, but just an hour away is the harbor of Dana Point that is also pretty spectacular. For two of Weddings of Distinction members, making the trip up north to Orange County was well-worth.

The wedding of Vicky and Brett took place this past fall, and with the backdrop of the water and the boats, the wedding was scenic as much as it was special. Both the ceremony and reception took place at Cannons Restaurant in Dana point. Guests were able to enjoy outdoor patio space, complete with cliff-side views of the water and the haze of the marine-front.

The wedding colors were neutral tones, combined with lilacs and other shades of purple. Carmin Cermak, one of WoD’s wedding coordinators, served in this case, as the wedding florist. Carmin is unique in that she can, and often does, serve multiple roles for the weddings she is a part of. In addition to Carmin, Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. provided the couple with their wedding cake, and working closely with Carmin, they decorated the cake and dessert table with florals in multiple shades of purple.

It truly was a special day. Its always exciting to see wedding vendors working together, and its even more so when they are two of our vendors! To make the trip up north just goes to show that our people are committed to providing the best possible service to their couples!

Photos Courtesy of Dan Rice 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

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