With the cold, rainy weather we've been having in San Diego, I am loving cuddling up with a blanket and searching for wintery-wedding inspiration boards.
Here is the first one I created myself!
I found this 'Homemade Christmas Elegance' on Style Me Pretty, created by Style member, Chiara:
We recently did day-of coordination for am amazing couple, Erin & Ryan and were so thrilled to be a part of their special day. Their wedding started out as low-key backyard bbq at a family member's house, but as it evolved over the months of planning, turned into an elegant, but fun-loving, family-style celebration.
They were married in October in Old Town, San Diego and held the ceremony and reception in the beautiful backyard of a family member's home. It had an amazing view of the city, and was big enough to hold over 120 people but was small enough to create an intimate atmosphere. Everything about the wedding was family and friend-centered. The father of one of the groom's friends officiated the wedding, the dj was a family friend, two friends of the bride were the chalkboard 'artists' for all of the chalkboard signs and displays, another friend designed and printed the invitations and menus, and yet another made the table runners.
It was important to Erin and Ryan to have these personal elements as a part of their wedding day. Not only did they choose to have close friends help with the certain aspects of the day, they also included personlized touches throughout the reception to make each person feel special. The menus were printed to welcome each individual guest. They provided a photo booth and small chalkboard for everyone to use to write a message to the bride and groom and asked them to put a copy of the pictures in the guest book. My favorite 'personal' touch was asking the caterer, Eco Caters, to make a favorite family recipe, 'Aunt Deb's Peach Cobbler' instead of serving cake.
Another theme that was very important to the bride and groom was to have a 'green' wedding. They decided to use the very talented Eco Caters not only because of the delicious food they make, but also because of their mission: to protect both the earth, which is the source of their cuisine, as well as the people who populate the planet. They do so primarily through the use of biodegradable products and by providing the best locally grown, organic and seasonal produce. The food was not the only thing that was kept 'local'. Ryan and Erin also made sure all of the beer was provided by a local San Diego brewery and all of the wine and sparkling wine was from California.
To reduce the use of extra paper, they decided to use chalkboards for the table display, drink menu, and seating charts. Printing each guest's name to their menu was also thoughtfully planned out to eliminate the need for separate menus and escort cards.
They are a beautiful couple, inside and out and were an absolute blast to work with!
I love fall weddings because of the 'warm' color palets that are often chosen for the flowers and decorations. I recently went to a wedding as a guest and was so impressed with the floral arrangements. I was not surprised to find out the bride (who has really refined and lovely taste) had chosen Melissa Johnson of Rhapsody in Bloom for her wedding. Melissa always creates amazing bouquets, arrangements, centerpieces, etc. Check out a few of the pics - beautiful!
These are pictures from some of the guests, so as soon as we see the photos from the professionals (our favorite - Tangerine Tree Photography!), we'll post more.
Rhapsody in Bloom also did one of our weddings a few years ago - Pete & Sabrina's spanish-themed wedding. More about that on our next post...stay tuned!
In the past few years with the popularity of the food network, many brides are spending more time choosing caterers that represent their likes and beliefs.
The days of only having a choice between Chicken Marsala and Beef Tenderloin have been replaced with dishes like Chicken Roulade with Jamon Iberico and Spinach and Grilled Salmon with Smoked Chili and Brown sugar.
The dishes noted above are just two of the many offered by ECO Caters in San Diego. Their mission is dedicated to protecting both the earth, which is the source of our cuisine, as well as the people who populate the planet.
It comes through in their dishes and service.
We recently worked with Eco Caters on Erin and Ryan's wedding. Adam and his staff were generous beyond all expectations. The presentation of the family-style meal was as impressive and it was good. After the first setting, the servers went back to the tables to personally ask each guest if they were enjoying their meal and if they would like more. The attention to detail was obvious in everything from the Hors D'oeuvres to the organic coffee served at the end of the night.
One more favorite touch I have to highlight - they agreed to make the Bride and Groom's favorite family dessert recipe- Aunt Deb's Peach Cobbler. That extra touch completely personalized the service for Erin and Ryan.
Capturing the personality of a couple while also creating an artistic shot is so important to great wedding photography. Tangerine Tree Photography is exceptional at this and I love their approach to their work. On their website they say:
"Our passion is to create hip, urban, modern imagery that reflects your individual personalities; capture moments and create memories that will last long after the bouquet is tossed, cake is eaten and dress is boxed up. We take a very personal approach to our photography, and aim to really get to know our clients. In fact, there's a good chance we'll cry during your ceremony and maybe even dance at your reception."
Who wouldn't want them at their wedding?! And, their pictures speak for themselves...here is a look at one of their engagement sessions. So amazing!
At Simply Solis, we are always looking for the unique, creative twists on the traditional elements of weddings. I found this great idea on InStyle Weddings magazine for fun 'Save the Date' cards. Here is what they have to say:
Use Recycled Cards
Send postcards that evoke the theme or locale of your wedding, instead of save-the-date cards, planner Yifat Oren says. If you're getting married at a resort or historic inn, inquire whether there are postcards of the site that you could buy or have for free. (Blank vintage cards, available online and at flea markets, make especially charming choices but cost a bit more.) Either handwrite the essentials on the back or use a laser printer.
On June 7th, my faithful friend walked down the aisle into the arms of the man who eyes light up when she enters the room.
The setting was mystical. Ingrid and Eric's ceremony took place inside St. Micheal's the Archangel in South Providence. This church has been part of our families for generations. It is a work of art with dark mahogany pews, stain glass windows that tell intricate stories and marbled columns framing the aisles. Melissa Robotti beautifully captured the ceremony in her self described photojournalism-style.
The photos you see here are some of my favorite taken at Temple Downtown in Providence. Temple is a hotel where a classic elements meets street art. The photo with the graffiti is also in downtown Providence. Together these pictures brilliantly showcase Ingrid's own classic style mixed in with inner city art. Photography has emerged as art in weddings. Many years back we hired photographers to capture the day. Most brides in the late nineties had perfectly staged photos of the wedding parties, families and newlyweds.
Today we have photos with an edge. Photographers are not just capturing the day, they are helping tell the story. And in my opinion, Melissa Robotti of Boston is among the best in telling the story of people uniting in love with family and friends.
I must admit I often visit her website to see what's new, but mainly to relive the excitement of watching my best friend marry her love. I invite you to visit her website and see the story of Ingrid and Eric's wedding day unfold.
Here is a quick blast from the past. One of our favorite weddings we have been a part of was Angie & Lauren's. They were married in February of 2007 and were such a great couple to work with! We came in as the day-of coordinators and ended up feeling like we had known them for the entire planning process. The joy they got from their wedding and each other was contagious and we are happy to hear that they now have an adorable 2 year-old son - congratulations Angie & Lauren!
If you read the post below, you will see that I just went to an amazing wedding up in Washington state this past weekend. One of the best things about it (besides the bride and groom, of course) was the photographer!
Her name is Jen from Jenny GG Photography and she is AMAZING! Her photos are so pretty and unique....and she is a ton of fun! She was a blast to work with and has an amazing eye for capturing just the right moment.
She is based out of the northwest, but is from San Diego and, I'm pretty sure would love having a chance to visit her hometown for a wedding down here. Seriously, check out her website!
I just got back from one of my best friend's wedding up in Washington and it was so much fun! Jenni is the perfect bride - creative, organized, and really into the whole wedding planning process, so I was not surprised to see amazing, personalized details throughout the entire event.
One of my favorite 'little details' was her choice to use bouquet 'charms' for herself and the bridesmaids. She had a beautiful antique picture frame-charm with a picture of her grandmother on her wedding day on her bouquet (attached to the ribbon surrounding the stems of the flowers) and a really pretty square charm with each bridesmaid's initial on it for their bouquets....something similar to this (although I have to say, Jenni's charms were even prettier):
I always think it is the small 'extra's that really pull a wedding or event together and make it memorable, and her's definately was! I'll post some pictures soon!
BTW - I want to mention her wedding coordinator, Bobbi Roth Wedding Design. She did a fabulous job and was really lovely and personable to the entire wedding party and the guests. I would highly recommend using her if you plan on getting married anywhere in the Northwest!
In preparation for creating our blog, I wanted to see what else was out there. I came across this fabulous site, Style Me Pretty. They showcase amazing events, photographers, and anything wedding-related that is beautiful. They are launching a new social network called the Style Circle and, as part of the site, they have a really easy-to-use Inspiration Board Builder! Here is one that they have highlighted, designed by Style Circle member Carly. Beautiful!
Simply Solis Weddings & Events is blogging! We are excited to join the very popular blogging world and share our thoughts about everything having to do with weddings and events.
Our goal is to highlight fabulous vendors, share the latest trends, write about our upcoming weddings and events, and hopefully give you a little insight into who we are and what Simply Solis is all about!
We are two event professionals who enjoy meeting and working with new people, planning memorable events and sharing in the joy and love that is infused into the entire planning and execution of weddings and events. Our hope is that once you learn about us and our work, you will invite us to be a part of your special day.
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