Vendor Tribute! | True Photography

Another year later, and True Photography is still one of our favorite event photographers!

 

Their work is so unique in its vibrancy and evident zeal for life.

We find they’re perfect for potential clients who want unusual angles, priceless candid shots, and unparalleled service.

 

 

As another hard-working vendor, ready to help others at events, they always take incredible pictures of our food and let our service shine!

 

Out of the hundreds of pictures they’ve shared with us, we couldn’t begin to choose our favorites.

 

 

 

We love recommending them to our clients because we know the client will be thrilled with the experience and the product every single time.

We hope that this process goes both ways and  True Photography reached out to us with this statement from a client:

My fiancé and I just booked our wedding at Mt. Woodson Castle in Ramona, CA. We fell in love with the venue thanks, in large part, to your photos that Mt. Woodson features on their website (we live in Washington DC and are unable to visit any venues in person).” 

 

Mt. Woodson Castle, Ramona

 

They amaze us with their eye for detail and light-hearted imaginative feel to all their shots!

We can’t thank True Photography enough for all their hard work and constant reliability throughout our time working with each other.

 

Darlington House of La Jolla

 

Robert Paine Scripps Seaside Forum

 

Darlington House of La Jolla

 

Darlington House of La Jolla

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

Robert Paine Scripps Seaside Forum

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

Robert Paine Scripps Seaside Forum

 

Without our clients, locations, vendors, and even staff, the advertising attempts that we make would need to be expanded by hundreds–if not thousands–of dollars.

Even so, nothing beats word-of-mouth recommendations from an excellent, trusted source.

 

Robert Paine Scripps Seaside Forum

 

La Jolla Shores Beach, San Diego

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

The Ultimate Skybox, Diamond View Towers

 

Downtown San Diego

 

The Ultimate Sky Box, Diamond View Towers

 

Private Home

 

Downtown San Diego

 

Gaslamp Quarter, Downtown San Deigo

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

Mt. Woodson Castle, Ramona

 

Here’s to many more years of collaborative fun with True Photography!

 

Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad

 

 

 

Glowing Client Review! | San Diego Event Catering

Happiness Speaks Loudest.

We can’t thank our happy clients enough for reaching out to post such rave reviews of us during this unprecedented time.

 

 

Martina, we are thrilled by your response and are so glad your special day was flawless!

Thank you again for taking the time to give us such a radiant review.

 

Martin Johnson House | Featured Venue | San Diego Event Coordination

The historic Martin Johnson House, sheltered beneath grand cypress trees with sweeping views of the La Jolla beaches, is the oceanfront cottage of your event dreams.

 

 

According to the official website, “the rustic cottage was one of the earliest additions to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus…”, constructed in 1916.

The institute still manages the venue, along with its sister sites: The Birch Aquarium and The Robert Payne Scripps Sea Side Forum.

“Once used as a home for Scripps professors and their families, the refurbished cottage and grounds now offer a charming coastal setting ideal for social events ranging from business meetings to wedding receptions.”

 

Aldous Photo

 

As a Caterer on their list of preferred vendors, we love working with the incredible Institute Staff and this stunning venue!

The location gracefully adapts to allow suitable space for our temporary kitchen and cooking equipment.

Indoor Features

  • Small kitchenette with refrigerator, sink, counters, and microwave; partitioned off from main space
  • Two ADA-equipped unisex bathrooms with outdoor entrances

Outdoor Features

  • Extensive views of the Pacific Ocean, La Jolla Cove, and Scripps Pier
  • Two large, multi-level teak decks with electrical outlets for music and lighting
  • Small surrounding grassy areas with bench seating
  • Shade from tall cypress trees

 

Aldous Photo

For More Information

We encourage you to tour the Martin Johnson House with a representative from Scripps Venue Rentals and explore the many options available to you. Schedule a site visit by contacting scrippsvenues@ucsd.edu (858-534-5604).

View Their Gallery

 

Check Out their Pinterest

 

Visit Their Website

 

Contact
Scripps Venue Rentals
Telephone: 858-534-5604

Email: scrippsvenues@ucsd.edu

Sensational Client Review! | Darlington House Wedding

We stumbled across this glowing review on our Yelp and just had to rave about it!

 

Thanks, Viviana!!

 

We so appreciate the time you took to write this for us.

You were a delight to work with, and we loved how magical your special day turned out!

 

 

“The Glow” | San Diego Wedding and Event Planning

Movie Magic Come To Life!

We’ve been pretty vocal about how much we live for this defining moment during our weddings.

There’s a certain magic that happens at the end of each ceremony that we wish we could bottle and share with the world.

Alyssa Boynton Photography at Scripps Seaside Forum.

 

After a happy couple says their vows, a new tension starts to build.

They have their Big Kiss, everyone cheers, they turn to the crowd, and BAM!!

 

True Photography at Scripps Seaside Forum.

No one is safe from that indescribable tidal wave of incandescent bliss!

It pours out of the faces of the newlyweds as they walk back down the aisle, hand in hand.

 

True Photography at Scripps Seaside Forum.

 

“The Glow” is one of our favorite parts of our Special Events, and it keeps us doing what we love most:

making your dream event come to life.

 

True Photography at Scripps Seaside Forum.

So, Reach Out to us!

See what our talented Coordination Team can do to make “The Glow” happen for you!

 

 

Glamorous Glassware | Tablescape Upgrades! | San Diego Event Planning

 

Dazzle your guests with a stunning event tablescape!

Add pops of color at each seat with these gorgeous goblets.

 

These come in all different styles and shapes as well, so stick with one color or even mix and match hues to encompass the full spectrum of your wedding pallet.

Bar Glassware

Have a signature drink?

 

It wouldn’t be an actual Mule without a copper mug!

Your guests are sure to remember an eye-catching glass containing a tasty cocktail, and mugs are just the tip of the iceberg.

Your guests could mingle while sipping from Martini Glasses or tip into a Tumbler for your signature old fashioned.

Authenticity elevates the looks and feels of your event!

 

Photographer: Holly Ireland Photography. Goblets: Hostess Haven Rentals

Let designing your tablescapes be the most enjoyable part of planning your event!

Ask our gifted coordinators what available design options they’d recommend with our endless upgrade options.

 

 

Sacred Mountain | Venue Appreciation Post | Unique San Diego Event Venues

 

Less than a mile from the town’s bustling main street, this secluded escape feels worlds away.

 

Tucked into the woods just past charming historical Julian, California, Sacred Mountain is a San Deigo County hidden treasure and destination event venue.

 

Oh Lovely Wedding Photography

We love working at this spacious event venue!

Sacred Mountain is perfect for family reunions, elopements, photoshoots, retreats, and weddings.

 

Lex + Jake Photo and Film

 

Sacred Mountain is a one-of-a-kind property bursting with rustic delights and modern luxuries for you and your guests!

You can enjoy all four seasons with maximum comfort and relaxation thanks to fireplaces, a 40ft swimming pool and spa, horseback riding, luxury linens, and endless amenities.

This space includes two private estates with 61 acres of plateaus, open fields, lush gardens, event spaces, and five well-appointed guest homes!

 

Hailey Golich Photography

 

Create cherished memories for years to come!

The incredible sunrise and sunset views from each ranch estate are sure to impress your guests.

 

Nicolas G Photography

 

Host your upcoming event at Sacred Mountain, San Diego’s idyllic backyard mountain getaway!

 

The Shepards Photo

For event scheduling and questions, contact Sacred Mountain’s Event Coordination team HERE!

 

 

Centerpiece Inspiration | San Diego Event Coordination

So many details to consider when planning decor, and so many rules!

 

Thankfully, when it comes to the table centerpieces, the goals can be broken down to a few main steps:

The floral arrangement below by Four Season Flowers

Four Seasons flower photography at San Diego wedding venue

Photographer: Wilbur Studios

 

Be Imaginative!

First and foremost is to have fun with your ideas for these centerpieces. Your guests are going to be sitting in front of these most of the night, so make sure they’re memorable. Otherwise, why bother with the effort? The picture below came from a wedding venue where the Bride chose to make the centerpieces herself, and the bay-side location inspired her to set up this simple and affordable beachy display.

First, she collected the (FREE) sand, shells, and stones from her local beaches over the months she was wedding planning. Then she snagged the vases, gold leaf, and extra-large gold metal rings from a craft shop. She hand-painted each jar meant for the candles, each shell with the gold leaf, and used the gold rings as guides for the last step: floral accents. Sticking some adorable succulents into the sand-filled vases was a piece of cake, and the eucalyptus just needed a little wire to adhere it to the rings for that perfect circle. Put it all together, and she got an easy-breezy centerpiece! It was simple, affordable, and memorably unique.

Table decoration photography at San Diego event venuePhotographer: Aldous Photo

Content!

Don’t be afraid to reach outside of the flower shop. Almost anything can be used in a centerpiece, whether its candles, vases, garland, flowers, lanterns, or even food! Trust us, artichokes and heads of lettuce can be beautiful if paired with the right table decor.

Below, the florist used different shaped vases of varying heights to hold all the eye-catching flowers not commonly seen in the wedding world. No two flowers looked exactly alike, but collaboratively they harmonized because nothing seemed unbalanced or out of place!

Studio-Carre-Photographie at San Diego event venue

Photographer: Studio Carre Photographie

Multiple Uses

Plan on moving those statement pieces!

Events rarely keep the guests in a single space the entire night. An average wedding will move the party up to four times over the day from ceremony space, to cocktail hour, the dining area, then finally to the dance floor. Using the same arrangements for different places will give you the most bang for your buck, without diminishing their splendor! What decorated the aisle can decorate the sweetheart table. Those Bridesmaids bouquets are now for the dining tables. In the picture below, we can see how some centerpieces even double as favors for guests to take home at the end.

The floral arrangement below by Fox Floral Studio

Let's Frolic Together photography at unique San Diego wedding venue

Photographer: Let’s Frolic Together

Seasonal Savings

Plan to use flowers that are in season around the month of your event! It will be easier on your florist, and you’ll surely receive the freshest arrangements guaranteed not to wilt halfway through the night.

Some flowers, like roses and succulents, thrive all year, but asking for gardenias in the middle of December might make for a sad display on the table, and in your wallet. Some of the best Summer and Spring flowers are:

  • Sweet Peas
  • Cherry/Apple Blossoms
  • Hydrangeas
  • Peonies
  • Daisies
Coordination and Florals by Penny Blooms Weddings and Events

Coordination and Florals by Penny Blooms Weddings and Events

The most popular Winter and Fall flowers:

  • Dahlias
  • Sunflowers
  • Violets
  • Freesia
  • Ivy/Evergreen

The Knot has lists of the top ten flowers for every season for more flower options.

The floral arrangement below by Del Mar Floral & Gifts

Muse Moments Photography | Harbor View Loft

Photographer: Muse Moments Photography

 

Size Matters

Considering table shape and size while planning your centerpiece is necessary. It never hurts to test out your plans ahead of time to save you in the long run. Hindsight is 20/20, but not very helpful at the moment.

Some general guidelines are: If your tables are long, the “center” is technically more significant, so plan accordingly. The opposite goes for smaller, more intimate tables. So try not to engulf the Bride and Groom behind a tidal-wave of flowers if they’re not at a giant head table to even everything out.

The floral arrangement below by Tiny Victories

Gabriel Conover Photo Tiny Victories floral | Unique San Diego wedding venue

Photographer: Gabriel Conover

 

Think “Cohesive Ambiance”

The centerpieces should be a continuation of the event’s overall theme and appealing to the eye, but not so over-the-top distracting that it seems like somebody dumped a whole shrubbery on the table. They should tie together the room decor with the table settings. Smoothly draw attention from the grand statement pieces to small accents. The picture below is of a table that we think blended effortlessly with its surroundings.

The attention-catchers were the silver metallic accents and peacock green of the napkins, so the florist chose to accentuate those with some refreshing eucalyptus and clouds of white flowers. The tables naturally reflected the abundance of natural light in the room, and everything seemed to glow!

The floral arrangement below by Tessfresh Flowers

Shelly Anderson Photo | Harbor View Loft

Photographer: Shelly Anderson Photography

Do the “Wilson Test”

We highly encourage varying the heights of your decor pieces. It creates a positive depth and dimension to the table. What we tend to warn our clients against is a centerpiece that impedes line of sight and is too tall for guests to see each other from across the table.

No matter how beautiful, if the guests have to lean around your centerpieces to be part of the conversation, they’ll see it as a joke and remember the inconvenience instead of the artistry. The “Wilson Test” is from the TV show Home Improvement. The next-door neighbor character, Wilson Wilson Jr., was only ever seen from the eyes up over the wooden fence separating each backyard. Once you finish setting up your centerpiece, sit down with a friend on the opposite side of your arrangement, and see if their whole face is visible. Wilson was great on the show, but maybe not the best at your event.

Rule of thumb is to keep your decorations no higher than about 10″ from the tabletop. If you’ve got grand designs that reach for the sky, we say try to stay as skinny as possible between 10″-20″ from the tabletop and make sure to use sturdy tables! Too tall and things get wobbly.

Amy Lynn Photo | | Harbor View Loft

Photographer: By Amy Lynn Photography

 

See Beyond Your Event

What happens to your centerpieces at the end of the night?

Are they going back with the florist? Home with you or the guests? The night doesn’t end for you when the music stops. Consider your transportation options–meaning packing boxes, vehicles, and size constraints before the day of the event! This way, you’ll never be stuck at the end of the night, exhausted, past your check-out time, saddled with twelve flower arrangements, and an irritated venue manager with no ride trying to figure out what to do.

Centerpiece below by Love Her Madly Weddings

Mirage and Light Photo at affordable wedding venues in San Diego

Photographer: Mirage and Light Photography

 

Bottom Line, Do What You Think Looks Good!

Keeping our guidelines in mind will hopefully help point you in the right direction, but it all comes down to eyeballing your handiwork and being flexible at the moment of the event. Be willing to play around with your centerpiece ideas and remember to stay true to yourself and your theme!

 

 

Thanks to all the fantastic photographers and florists mentioned above!

Your work is amazing!

 

 

 

Legendary Bouquet and Garter Toss Ideas!

The Garter and Bouquet Toss are infamous and time-honored traditions at weddings. Unfortunately, the reaction to this tradition from guests can be an unpredictable mixed bag.

We got our experts together to cook up some fresh twists to help rejuvenate this wedding ritual, so old customs can be tailor-fit to you as a couple on your big day!

 

15 Ways to Spice Up Your Bouquet or Garter Toss!

Consolation Prizes

-Kids Prizes: Weddings with lots of children might want to encourage a separate kids-toss with fun prizes so the adult toss can be ore traditional. This way, everyone feels included, and nobody accidentally gets stepped on during the excitement!

-Cash Incentive (AKA Singles for the Singles): Placing a bit of money on the bouquet, or with garter, before the toss can add a little motivation for your guests to claim the prize! Gift cards are a fun alternative as well and could encourage future romantic dates for the lucky winner.

-Bottle of Booze: Winning a bottle of something enticing to accompany the bouquet or garter might also promote a little more interest from guests!

 

New Methods: Fresh perspective on old fun!

-Hot Potato: (Similar to musical chairs, but with fewer chances for accidental injuries.) While a song plays in the background, guests can pass the garter or bouquet around in a circle until the music stops. The one left holding the prize is the lucky winner!

-Box of Treasure: Have guests pick a key out of a mixed pile to unlock a box or birdcage with the award.

-Ribbon Pull: An old European version of this tradition. Many false ribbons are held in the Bride’s hands above her head, with one secret winner tied around the bouquet. Everyone pulls at the same time, and the right ribbon pulls the prize!

-Toss the Boutonniere: If you still want to throw something to the single men, but you don’t want the scandal of the garter toss, then toss the boutonniere – but take the pins out first!

-Football/Three Flies Up: Easier to throw and catch, especially concerning the garter; a football can be a natural alternative. This saves the integrity of the bouquet and modesty of the Bride.

 

Pranks: For couples who love to laugh together.

– Blindfolded “Quick Switch”: Groomsmen dress up as the Bride.

-Magic Trick: Pull random items from beneath the dress stashed out of sight behind the Bride.

-Breakaway Bouquet: Throw a “Breakaway Bouquet” made of separated flowers, so everyone in the crowd gets one!

-Gender-Bend: Surprise unsuspecting guests by swapping outfits, and reverse the garter retrieval! See who “wears the pants” in the relationship. *wink wink*

 

Or, toss the tradition entirely.

-Anniversary Dance: Honor the longest-married couple by giving them the bouquet.

-Cake Pull: Many variations of this technique exist, but it is popular in Southern traditions and similar to a “King Cake” from Mardi Gras celebrations. Small charms placed in a cake or cupcakes for participants indicate different types of prizes, such as good fortune in money or love. By either pulling a ribbon to extract the charm or eating the cake, guests can see what they’ve won. Be sure to warn guests before they take a bite!

-Pass The Torch: Give the Bouquet to the next Bride-to-Be with a wedding coming up. The ribbon or other decoration from that bouquet can be for “something borrowed” on her wedding day.

Have fun with the tradition and make it fit your personality however you see best!

Guests will be delighted by any efforts to keep it alive in your unique way.

 

Photos thanks to Chris Keeley Photography

Venue: Mt. Woodson Castle

Brittany + Adam Wedding Video! | Astray Photography | New Children’s Museum

In case you all didn’t get enough of Adam and Brittany’s Modern Romantic City Dream Wedding, THERE’S MORE!

 

Huge thanks to the happy couple and Astray Photography for sending us this incredible video of this magical day.

 

(We’re not going to pretend we didn’t tear up once or twice while watching it, so get ready for all the feels!)

 

 

Vendors:

Coordination: Back Patio Event Designs

Venue: The New Children’s Museum

Florals: soil and soul

Photobooth: Focus Photo Suites

Photographer/Videographer: Astray Photography

DJ: Jimmy Grizzley

 

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