news + press :: may’s meeting at tom hams lighthouse

  It was a first for Weddings of Distinction as a group to visit Tom Hams Lighthouse, and while some of us have worked at this beautiful coastal wedding location (and restaurant) with our respective businesses, for many of us it was our first time!

With a seaside theme, entitled “Let’s Fla-mingle,” all decor and florals were provided by wedding florist extraordinaire, Embellishmint Floral & Event Design.   Everything from the flowers, to the tablecloths, to even the desserts, united the theme in shades of pinks, plus golds and creams!  Speaking of desserts, our after-lunch treats were supplied by no other than Sweet Cheeks Baking Co., one of San Diego’s finest dessert and cake bakeries!

These two special wedding vendors not only supplied our networking meeting with decor and desserts, but the two companies took the opportunity to present to the group, elaborating on the scope of their work and sharing some details and info that many of us do not already know!

The day really was great, and despite the “May Gray” typical to San Diego this time of year, every detail came together perfectly.  From service, to location, to decor, to company, we felt pampered at this spectacular bay-front property.  The staff there did a phenomenal job!  And, a little bit a trivia: Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, to this day, is still a functioning lighthouse!  Share that with your friends, or better yet, go visit yourself!
San Diego Wedding Professionals_Tom Hams LighthousePhotos Courtesy of Laura Christin 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.

San Diego Weddings; Wedding Professionals; Wedding Planning; Wedding Venues; Wedding Cake; Wedding Coordination; Wedding Flowers; Wedding DJ; Networking; Wedding Photography; Wedding Videography, San Diego Wedding Music

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!

San Diego Weddings; Wedding Professionals; Wedding Planning; Wedding Venues; Wedding Cake; Wedding Coordination; Wedding Flowers; Wedding DJ; Networking; Wedding Photography; Wedding Videography, San Diego Wedding MusicPhotography Courtesy of Bob Hoffman Photo & Video

happy new year!

new year 2016

2015 was a time to rebuild, and after some misfortunes and losses that the group faced in the 12-24 months prior, the members of Weddings of Distinction were ready to start fresh.  2015 was the perfect year to do so!

With a fresh new Board in place in 2015, we rebuilt the group by streamlining our processes, and perfecting our procedures.  In turn, we were able to focus on what was important for our members, and in the end, we ended the year extremely well!  Plus, in the process, we explored some truly wonderful San Diego wedding reception areas/hotels.

In 2015, we got some new members; we lost some others.  Yet, that is the nature of the business, and of our unique group.  We understand that circumstances are always evolving for all our members… in their businesses and in their personal lives.

Weddings of Distinction is more than just a group of San Diego wedding professionals; we are family.  We network with one another because we trust not only the quality of the work he/she performs, but we trust the integrity of the person involved.  To be a member is an honor, so we know that now, in 2016, with some minor shifts to our board, this could be our best year yet!

2016 Board Members

President – Elaine Ardizzone (Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.)
VP (co-chaired position) – Frankie Hartwell (Hartworks Florals) & Renee Hirsch (French Gourmet Catering)
Treasurer – Tracy Zemke (Personal Touch Dining)
Marketing – Shannon Henry (Studio Carre’ Photography)
Membership – Merrylin Brichmann (Lady DJ Merrylin/Artistic Productions)
Secretary – Andy Haganah (The Groove DJs/ Starlight Photo Booth)
Education (co-chaired position) – Ashley Noack & Jillian Ziska, (Coastyle Events)

news & press :: when wedding vendors party….

…We do it big. It was a celebration to end a truly great year; one in which we rebuilt; we expanded; we also down-sized; but most importantly, we handled and managed details that got us off track in the year or so prior.

Weddings of Distinction is truly a special networking group, and as such, the members are like family, so the holiday season is our favorite time to come together, be silly, eat good food and treats, and just enjoy one another’s company on a personal level.  Yes, we all work together year-round, but our end-of-year holiday party is a time for us to let loose!

What did that mean?  It means we all congregated to Frankie Hartwell’s house, of Hartworks Florals, and everyone brought something, food, drink(s), dessert(s) and more.  We also had a pretty stellar gift exchange, and let’s just say, the alcohol and fuzzy blankets were a major hit!  We also concluded with a killer raffle prize to one lucky member, and the special token?… an iPad!!

We had live musical entertainment; lots, and I mean lots, of food and drink!  People came dressed to the nines, but some also donned funny holiday sweaters, because, well why not!?

A great time overall… The perfect way to end another year, and to lift spirits for the start of a new one!

San Diego Wedding Professionals - 1215Photos courtesy of McGuire Photography

news + press :: march networking meeting

The space is a blank canvas, with a world of possibilities, and if you want a space for your wedding that gives you choices, then 828 Events may be exactly what you’re looking for for your San Diego wedding!

Located in the heart of the Point Loma area of San Diego, 828 Events is a venue space that boasts industrial-style looks, with touches of intimacy and class from fine finishes like market-string lighting and vibrant white trim.

Last month, our special networking group had the pleasure to explore this new wedding venue in San Diego, and let’s just say, we were all impressed!  The lighting was bright and cheerful, and the meal, catered by Brothers Signature, was delicious.  All that, coupled with custom cocktails from Snake Oil Cocktail Co. made the afternoon probably a little too much fun!

April’s meeting will be at The Crosby Club in North County San Diego, so stay-tuned for more networking news!

weddings in San Diego

Photos courtesy of E3 Photography