Monday Must-Have

1. HAND PICKED
Absolutely gorgeous hand made floral jeweled handbag.  Created with hand sculpted metal and SWAROVSKI® ELEMENTS. Lilia by Clara Kasavina, clarakasavina.com.

2. SHORT & SWEET
Simply stunning luminescent strapless bridesmaid dress, sweetheart neckline, draped bodice, asymmetrical draped skirt, pillowcase hem. Jim Hjlem Occasions,
jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm-Occasions/

3. BOLD & BEAUTIFUL
What a show stopper! Smoky grey ruffled chiffon is twisted to resemble a small feathered boa. It is adorned with a vintage inspired floral design made with layers of fabric, beads, sequins and velvet.
Aubrey necklace by Prismera Design, prismeradesign.com.

4. TWINKLE TOES
Lovely classic gray satin pump is embellished with a glittering ornament at the pointed toe, this is the
perfect bridal shoe. Hangisi, by Monolo Blahnik, nordstrom.com.

5. PUT A RING ON IT
From the “dreaming of color” collection, this ring is stunning!  Flower U-set pave ring with Rose cut white sliced diamond centers, set in Platinum. By Michael M., michaelmcollection.com.

6. SMOKEY EYE
Limited-edition two-color eyeshadow includes silver and sparkling black shades to light
up the eyes with a dramatic, shimmering effect. Dior ‘Smoky Mania’ Eyeshadow Duo,
nordstrom.com

Fashion Friday

This Week's Featured Designer:
Lazaro

Lazaro gowns are consistently some of very favorites and the Spring 2011 line shown this fall in NYC is no exception.  They are all absolutely stunning and oh so flattering.  
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them all!

Real Wedding Wednesday

We love the vintage, bird watching and botanical theme of this gorgeous wedding.  The details are absolutely fabulous!

Jami Lenham & Eric Saville
San Diego Botanic Garden   |  April 9, 2011


It’s often said that “Mom knows best” and for Jami Lenham and Eric Saville, that was definitely the case. Eric’s mother taught with Jami at a local school and brought together these soon-to-be love birds. With Eric’s background in botany and a love of bird watching, the San Diego Botanic Gardens was the ideal setting for their vintage, nature-inspired nuptials. Creative “I-Spy” escort cards, hidden family heirlooms throughout the décor, decorative bird cages and a bird lamp above the sweetheart table created a dream wedding that Jami and Eric will always cherish.

 Jami’s Advice: 


“Be present and savor every moment of your 

wedding day, it comes and goes too quickly!”

Ingredients
Ceremony and Reception Venue San Diego Botanic Garden  
Coordinator Amorology Weddings 
Photography Joielala Photographie
Florist Twigg Botanicals
Linens La Tavola  
Entertainment Colin Elliott and Hit it! Music  
Catering Crown Point Catering 
Wedding Cake Elizabethan Desserts 
Invitations/Stationery Brightly Designed 
Hair and Make-up Tracy Mathis 
Dress Chez Bride Moderne 
Men’s Formalwear A Better Deal Tuxedo
Jewelry/Rings Taboo Studio 
Rentals Raphael’s
Honeymoon and Travel Australia and New Zealand

Tuesday Trend Report

Today we are featuring an article from our current issue by Rachel Welland of Bliss Events.


Rachel writes about Going Local and why using local product is best for your wedding, San Diego and the environment.





Who doesn’t LOVE San Diego?  And if you are getting married here, you must really love it!  Did you know there is a way to support the local farmers, artisans, craftsmen/women, designers, musicians, and manufacturers… AND have an amazing wedding… AND be environmentally friendly?  Here is the way to do it: GO LOCAL!  By contracting San Diego vendors that use local products, you are not only supporting the local economy but also reducing the cost of shipping products from out-of-state (or country), as well as minimizing the pollution of trucking the products in from elsewhere.  We are very fortunate in San Diego to have a huge array of awesome local products… here are some ideas:

Photo by Tangerine Tree Photography

Food & Beverage
San Diego has many produce farms that grow fruit and vegetables year-round, plus California, especially the San Diego area, is among the top five seafood producing states in America.  Your caterer can create a beautiful fresh fish entrée and colorful veggies on the side, what a treat for your guests!  Look a bit north to Temecula for some delicious local wine.  We can’t forget to mention San Diego’s growing community of microbreweries, some awesome local beer will be easy to get and much appreciated. 

Photo by White Haute Photography

Attire & Accessories
With a bit of internet research and some phone calls, you can easily discover some local wedding gown designers with serious talent.  There are also many jewelry designers that would love to accessorize you and your bridesmaids with some gorgeous and unique creations.

Photo by Sunday Romance Photography

Flowers
Did you know that San Diego is home to over 200 commercial flower and potted plant growers?  This is incredible news for the modern bride who wants to go local.  Many florists opt to use local and in-season flowers, which helps keep the cost down for you while delivering the freshest and most vibrant flowers possible.  Be sure to have a conversation with your florist about using local flowers to make sure they are not shipping anything in from out-of-state (or country).

Photo by Bob Hoffman Photography

Music
Our lovely city is home to some major musical talent, from solo musicians to bands that rock!  Instead of flying in a band from elsewhere in America, check out the local music scene and inquire with musicians and bands to find out if they are available to book for private events.

Photo by Bob Hoffman Photography

Invitations & Paper Goods
Where do I start with all the brilliant graphic designers and amazing stationery stores in San Diego?  There are so many!  So much better than ordering your invitations on the internet, a local graphic designer will work with you to customize paper goods that are truly your own and express your unique personalities.  If you opt to go to a stationary store, ask them which invitation books are from local designers, or if they have a graphic designer they work with in San Diego.

Photography by David Santos Photography

Welcome Gift Bags & Favors
When your guests arrive in Sunny San Diego for your wedding weekend, and check in to their hotels, there is no better treat than a “welcome gift bag” filled with local goodies!  Locally made chocolates, baked goods, granola bars, and the locally grown fruit we mentioned earlier, will delight your guests.  Fun places to brainstorm ideas and meet growers and artisans are some of the amazing Farmers Markets around the county.  Ditto on favors for your reception… there are so many creative products out there that are made in our fine city.

Monday Must-Have

Lovely Lingerie

Every bride needs something fancy to wear on her wedding night and on the honeymoon.  We love these gorgeous pieces from Claire Pettibone's Butterflies Collection.  They are sweet and sexy making them absolutely perfect.

Photography by Elizabeth Messina

"Beauty"

"Camouflage"

"Carnival"

"Dharma"

"Feline"

"Henna"

"Love Song"

"Love Song"

"Marilyn"

"Shaki"

"Sunshine"

Fashion Friday

Featured Collection: Cymbeline-Paris 2012,

from Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week

Without a doubt, Cymbeline-Paris
is always one of our favorite collections.
Super chic, perfect for the modern Southern
California Bride, featuring all the latest trends of sleek
fabrics as well as lovely lace, all designed
with elegance and sophistication.