Wedding Wednesday: Eva & John Sullivan

Sailing the ocean blue brought these two together as John had just bought a new boat and asked a couple of friends to go out on the water with him. His friend asked if she could bring her roommate, and in walked Eva into John's life. She agreed to be his wife over a surprise Valentine's Day weekend in Santa Barbara, and they began planning a wedding that had the oceanic theme intertwined all throughout.

 Ingredients

Location: Scripps Seaside Forum
Coordinator: JAF Events
Officiant: Deacon Mark Bucon
Photographer: Stewart Bertrand Photography
Florist: Diane's Flowers Please
Linens: The French Gourmet
Entertainment: Sunset Sound Productions
Catering: The French Gourmet
Cake: The French Gourmet
Stationery: Minted
Hair & Makeup: Shawna Cokkinos
Dress: Isis Bridal
Men's Formalwear: Friar Tux Shop
Jewelry: Paris Designs
Rentals: Arc de Belle

Vendor Spotlight: Mia Bella Couture

Vendor: Mia Bella Couture
Location:  2673 Via de la Valle Suite D, Del Mar, CA 92104
Phone: 858.481.4900
Website: www.miabellabridal.com, www.miabellacouture.com
Social Media: Facebook Pinterest Instagram

Company Background
Mia Bella Bridal was started in Northern California by Debbie and Derek Barham. The company expanded to San Diego in 2011 and is continuing to expand into all bridal fashions, including bridal gowns, bridesmaids, evening gowns, and men's tuxedos.

Mia Bella described in three words:
Chic, trendsetting, customer service

What does Mia Bella sell? How does Mia Bella cater to brides/ grooms in choosing their outfit for the wedding?
Mia Bella sells bridal gowns, veils, accessories, bridesmaid dresses, and mother-of-the-bride/ groom dresses. Mia Bella caters to the bride and her bridal party by creating an intimate setting where they will work with a bridal specialist to help them choose the perfect dress(es) for her special day, without any time constraint. We also provide the option to customize dresses, from combining two dresses, to altering the style of a dress, we offer the best option for each member of the bridal party.

What about your career makes it worthwhile each day?
Finding and creating the perfect wedding gown for each of our brides is what gives us the most satisfaction. It is a special moment, not only for our brides, but for the Mia Bella family as well. Then being able to see the wedding coming together by finding dresses for each member of the bridal party is the icing on the cake.

Name one thing that sets Mia Bella apart from its competitors:
What sets us apart from all our competitors is the fact that we have excellent customer service and take our time with each customer to not only find a dress but also by creating a dress by customizing and altering to exceed each customer's expectations.

What trends do you foresee in bridal wear?
We foresee more simple designs and silhouettes, going away from the Cinderella ball gown look and creating a more modern romantic look. We love the low back dresses and simple cotton lace because it is timeless and will work for any venue.

What is one important piece of advice you would like to share with brides?
It's not only about finding the right dress(es) for you and your bridal party, but about finding a store that will spend the time to create moments with you so that you can enjoy the process of planning a wedding.

Mangia Monday: Rimmed Cocktails

Did you know that you can rim more cocktails than the classic salt-rimmed margarita?  Have fun with your cocktails and try out something new. If you prefer something sweet, try rimming a Cable Car Cocktail with cinnamon sugar, inspired by Dapper Images. If you prefer frozen drinks, rim an Irish Frozen Banana Cocktail with coconut.  For those who like a savory cocktail, we thought the Canadian favorite, the Caesar Cocktail, was a unique idea and you use the Caesar rim-trimmer found here. 

Image via Dapper Images

Fashion Friday: Moonlight Fall 2013 Collection

 Moonlight's Fall 2013 Collection is nothing short of stunning elegance. The sweeping bridal gowns are a perfect balance between classic and stylish, with traditional silhouettes that are embellished with rhinestones and lace.  With an incredible attention to detail, whether in the gathering of the bustle, tiny buttons dotting the back of the dress, or the embellishment on the neckline, Moonlight knows what is flattering for a bride and it shows in the collection.

Style Inspiration: Save the Dates

Your very official wedding announcement is your Save the Date card.  Save the Dates can be very fun - whether you want to make it colorful, full of pictures, or with a funny story, there are so many options out there.  Have a look at some of the gorgeous, simple, and catchy Save the Dates we found:

via Fresh in SDSW's Photo Archives

Image via Minted

via Fresh in SDSW's Photo Archives

Image via The Bridal Detectives

Image via Bustle & Flow

Image via Fresh Paper Studios

Image via Oh Happy Day

Image via Puzzle Prints

via The Wedding Paper Divas in SDSW's Photo Archives

Image via Wedding Bee

Image via Wedding Chicks

Wedding Wednesday: Sara & Mark Marmoljo

Sara and Mark met in a summer school Spanish course and hit it off right away. Their senses of humor, personalities, and competitive drives complimented each other and it was obvious their relationship was meant to grow. A typical date night turned into an evening in a secluded park on the bay in Coronado. After being presented with an exquisite engagement ring, Sara accepted and began planning a wedding weekend with her groom and their closest family and friends.  The fun colors and happy-in-love couple were photographed by Stewart Bertrand.

Ingredients

Ceremony Location: Saint Augustine Chapel
Reception Location: Mission Beach Women's Club
Coordinator: Events Uncorked
Photographer: Stewart Bertrand
Officiant: Father John Keller
Florist: KEI Dan Floral Design
Linens: Ranch Catering
Ceremony Entertainment: Angelica Strings
Reception Entertainment: DJ Eric Starr
Catering: Ranch Catering
Cake: The Cake Lady
Invitations/ Stationery: Cards & Pockets
Hair: Model Call Salon
Makeup: Make-Up Artistry by Gale
Dress: Prevue Formal & Bridal
Men's Formalwear: Bloomingdale's (Hugo Boss)
Jewelry: David and Sons/ Tiffany's
Rentals: Ranch Catering
Transportation: Goldfield Stage Transportation
Honeymoon: Costco Travels (Tahiti and Bora Bora)