Mangia Monday: Appetizers During Happy Hour

Photo from Culinary Concepts

Often times, in between the ceremony and reception, many couples will opt to have a happy hour in order to give them time for photos as well as stealing a couple of moments to soak in the newly wedded bliss.

During this Happy Hour, you can have a signature cocktail or two for your guests based on your color scheme or maybe your favorite drink together.

Remember with drinking going on at a wedding, it's always a good idea to have some light appetizers available as well so your guests don't overdo on the alcohol. Talk to your caterer and they'll be able to whip up something delicious for the Happy Hour in addition to the reception meal! You can have tray passed appetizers, or a buffet style, or even interactive stations!

The options are endless! You can discuss with your caterer what would be the best option for your wedding. Your guests are sure to enjoy the small plates that await them!

Dessert of the Week: Under the Sea

 Even though it may be fall, since we live in sunny San Diego, we can go to the beach all year long! This cool cake is from Flour Power Custom Cakery. The ombré and glitter details are reminiscent of summer beach days.


Cake from Flour Power Custom Cakery

Inspiration Thursdays: Love in the Jewel at Sunrise

An intimate wedding styled shoot in beautiful La Jolla,California. La Jolla means the Jewel and this shoot was inspired by red and blue jewel tones and the colors of the California sunrise. The styled shoot includes a small intimate ceremony setting, beach reception tablescape, jewel tone florals and the couple set to marry at sunrise. 

ingredients
Location: Windansea Beach La Jolla
Photography: Shyla Marie Photography
Cake: Amore's Cakes
Menswear: Bridal and Tuxedo Galleria
Hair: Curls and Pearls Hair Salon
Linens: CustomTable & Linen
Renatls: Deluxe Party Rental
Florist: Encinitas Flower Shop
Makeup: Make Up by Lizette
Calligrapher: The Fozzy Book
Dress: Trendy Collection

Ask Abby: What is the right honeymoon destination?

Photo from Kahala Travel

After the stress of planning a wedding, the honeymoon will be a welcomed vacation. As time between you and your new spouse, you want to make sure to pick something that will be great for both of you!

When picking the destination for your honeymoon, one thing to consider is your mutual hobbies. What do the two of you like to do together? Do you want to go for a spa vacation? Hang out on a beach? Go skiing and do a winter vacation? Explore Europe? There are many options out there and the right one could be closer than you expect!

Many people when they think of honeymoons think of a tropical beach. However if that's not your scene, then pick something you'll enjoy! You also don't have to have the honeymoon immediately following the wedding. These days it's hard to get that much time off in a row and be able to spend the money on a honeymoon immediately following the wedding so couples are opting to wait 6 months or a year to go on their honeymoon. There's nothing wrong with that if that works best for you, plus you can use it as a honeymoon/anniversary getaway!

Ultimately, you want to pick a location that has what you and your new spouse are looking for and enjoy the rest and relaxation time, you've earned it!!

Wedding Wednesday: Ruth & Cade

4/6/2015  |  Lake Oak Meadows

Ruth and Cade's wedding was nothing short of the perfect fairy-tale. They had guests bursting with laughter at times, tear-jerking joyous moments at others and well, after a full course meal, they served Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and apple pie for dessert at the end. The couple had lawn games such as giant jenga, croquet, ladder golf, corn hole, and potato sack races which was hilarious at a formal evening wedding. Ruth planned the wedding in 75 days with a 240 guest count including their Austrailian Shepherd, Mystery. It was no easy feat but Ruth still went ahead and built most everything herself with the help of a few incredible friends including the man of her dreams who she couldn’t have done it all without him. Between the white lights, the fire rings in the water, the lanterns on wood centerpieces that Ruth's brothers chopped out at her parents ranch, hundreds of candles, the wedding glow and the atmosphere fully charged with whole hearted love, warmth and fun. Ruth married the man of her dreams and my bestest friend, it was everything she could do to not sprint down the aisle to him. The wedding couldnt have been anymore perfect!

ingredients
Location: Lake Oak Meadows
Photography: Holly Ireland Photography
Videography: Amari Productions
Florist: MFG Florals
Cake: Artistic Cakes by The Grove
Hair: Hyde Edwards
Makeup: MAC
Dress: Demetrios
Men's Formalwear: Friar Tux Shop
Photobooth: The Fotobox

Wedding Wednesday: Jessica & Ryan

5/24/2014  |  Private Residence

Jessica & Ryan's wedding was truly unique because of the incredible love they were shown by friends who put the whole day together for them. January 2014, Jessica and Ryan were pretty overwhelmed by the unexpected news that they were going to have a baby. It was definitely in their planned future together, but not at that time in their lives. Not to mention, Ryan had recently moved to Texas for a new job. It was the new plan for Jessica to move out to be with him as soon as possible but before doing so, they wanted to share the celebration of their marriage (and their future family) with their closest friends and family. This definitely gave the couple a seemingly impossible timeframe to plan and execute a wedding. KC Resewhr, a coworker of Jessica's at the time with a past in wedding planning, was heaven-sent, asking if she could plan their wedding... But not only did she plan their wedding, she called in a lot of favors from vendors she knew to get their rentals for free...Family friends, the Noells, opened up their beautiful home for their venue... Jessica's boss, Bj Fazeli at Fazeli Winery generously paid for all flowers...Jamie Netherland, a talented photographer her brother knew, agreed to be their photographer for close to nothing...Other family friends loaned them most of the decor needed... An acquaintance Jessica met through the winery orderedthem  all the wine they needed at cost... The couple was and still is to this day so humbled by the generosity and love they were shown during a time when they felt very overwhelmed. May 24th, 2014 was a gorgeous day to start the new and fast approaching chapter of their lives together

ingredients
Location: Private Residence
Catering: Smokey Mountain Catering
Cake: Truly Madly Sweetly Fine 
Catering Desserts Bakery
Entertainment:The Chris Fast Blues Band
Invitations: Costco
Hair & Make-up: La Mode Salon
Bridal Dress: David’s Bridal
Men’s Formalwear: Zara

Wedding Wednesday: Jessica & Ryan

5/24/2014  |  Private Residence

Jessica & Ryan's wedding was truly unique because of the incredible love they were shown by friends who put the whole day together for them. January 2014, Jessica and Ryan were pretty overwhelmed by the unexpected news that they were going to have a baby. It was definitely in their planned future together, but not at that time in their lives. Not to mention, Ryan had recently moved to Texas for a new job. It was the new plan for Jessica to move out to be with him as soon as possible but before doing so, they wanted to share the celebration of their marriage (and their future family) with their closest friends and family. This definitely gave the couple a seemingly impossible timeframe to plan and execute a wedding. KC Resewhr, a coworker of Jessica's at the time with a past in wedding planning, was heaven-sent, asking if she could plan their wedding... But not only did she plan their wedding, she called in a lot of favors from vendors she knew to get their rentals for free...Family friends, the Noells, opened up their beautiful home for their venue... Jessica's boss, Bj Fazeli at Fazeli Winery generously paid for all flowers...Jamie Netherland, a talented photographer her brother knew, agreed to be their photographer for close to nothing...Other family friends loaned them most of the decor needed... An acquaintance Jessica met through the winery orderedthem  all the wine they needed at cost... The couple was and still is to this day so humbled by the generosity and love they were shown during a time when they felt very overwhelmed. May 24th, 2014 was a gorgeous day to start the new and fast approaching chapter of their lives together

ingredients
Location: Private Residence
Catering: Smokey Mountain Catering
Cake: Truly Madly Sweetly Fine 
Catering Desserts Bakery
Entertainment:The Chris Fast Blues Band
Invitations: Costco
Hair & Make-up: La Mode Salon
Bridal Dress: David’s Bridal
Men’s Formalwear: Zara