Our wide range of crowd-pleasing appetizers spans the full spectrum of flavor and enticing displays! Tease your taste buds with a few of these appetizing delights. Use these artful morsels to your advantage! Your guests eat with their eyes first, portray a mood or theme through a few choice bites. These delicious mouthfuls will pique your guests’ interest, warming them up for the main course later on.
Bring a hint of summer to any day of the year. An explosion of flavor with Mint, Honey Goat Cheese, Blueberry Basalmic Reduction, and dusted with a pinch of Pistachio, watermelon has never had such a glow-up!
A little bit of lemon and Herb Remoulade perfectly top off this tasty treat!
The Mini Beef Sliders win over every group with the Sharp Cheddar, Truffle Aoli, and Caramelized Onions!
Explore sweet, savory, and fresh so your guests can experience all sides of their flavor profiles.
We offer several delectable crowd-pleasing appetizers sure to delight your vegan and vegetarian guests.
Our Chicken and Waffle Skewers, with Maple Syrup and Crunchy Bacon, take that “mom’s secret recipe” taste, and somehow make this sweet and salty treat better than you remember! We also offer a heavenly Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese with a Creamy Tomato Bisque to satisfy all your childhood dreams.
We’re beyond happy that Martina and Ty have magical memories of their big day with us! We’re so thankful she took the time to leave us a client review and gave our staff such positive feedback!
You absolutely must check out our blog post about their Elegant Vintage Beach Wedding at the La Jolla Woman’s Club.
(Trust us, you won’t want to miss all their incredible details!)
San Diego Union-Tribune’s Regina Elling, of the Ramona Sentinel, recently walked the halls of Mt. Woodson Castle, a venue that lies close to our hearts. Due to its tantalizing history for the occult, this historic Castle is a hotspot for San Diego spiritualists during this time of the year. In her article, Regina wonders if the spirit of the Castle’s original owner, Amy Strong, has abandoned the historic site. As we reflect on all of our magical experience at the Castle, any thoughts of spirits are usually at the BAR!
For the first time since our partnership with Mt. Woodson Castle, which began about a decade ago, the corridors and kitchens are eerily quiet. If there ever was a spirit, we believe the warmth from our events and respect for the Castle’s history pleased it. Due to the shutdowns caused by Covid-19, you can feel the stones themselves miss the vibrant flow of life from the 100+ weddings per year it was accustomed to. One benefit of this year’s unexpected time-off is that the Castle has never been in such great shape! The Mt. Woodson Castle staff have been busy adding their own personal touch to top-secret historic renovations among the halls. Hopefully, with the start of the new year, guests will appreciate the resurrection of this gorgeous venue’s splendor!
Check out Regina’s article here! “Has Mt. Woodson Castle been Ghosted By Amy Strong?”
Intrigued? Take a peek at another article from Fox 5 San Diego about this incredible venue! “Explore San Diego: Enchanted Castle” by rchenfox5.
Can’t get enough? Try “On Memory’s Back Trail: Amy Strong And Her Mt. Woodson Castle” by Darrell Beck for a deeper look into the history!
Finally, a safe and easy way to celebrate together! “Party on The Go” is a new venture our team is diving into for the Holiday Season and beyond. Our curated To-Go Boxes are crafted with the freshest items based on our most popular menu options, and they’re perfect for every occasion! Did you miss out on a special event? Or perhaps you’re struggling to find fun, safety-compliant ways to bolster employee morale? We’ve got a Box for that.
This creative alternative to the traditional gathering is a distanced spin on nearly every gathering we’ve been sorely missing from a holiday party, company picnic, happy hour, special occasion, or employee incentive! Now, your Alternative Holiday Parties or Distanced Holiday Celebrations can give that fulfilling experience on The Go.
We’ve designed this new service with you in mind, keeping everything as easy as possible so you can enjoy the gift of a safe-gathering. All of our Boxes come prepared and ready to be distributed. Just choose the drop-off or drive-through option! Our talented and friendly staff will deliver your chosen POTG Boxes directly to you for self-distribution for the drop-off method. As for our drive-through service, we can help set up a distribution location for your lucky recipients to come to pick up their boxes. Unlike individual delivery services like Uber Eats, our service encourages the feelings of excitement that comes from a special occasion! Your lucky guests will enjoy the novelty and surprise from the gift of these boxes, reveling in the sense of gathering at a distance.
Our Party on The Go boxes come packed with everything you could need for your celebration. We’ve purposely crafted each themed box to encompass a party’s true feeling so that no more special occasions are lost to social distancing. We believe that everything deserves to be celebrated, so take a peek at our boxes below to see which best fits your event!
Imported & Domestic Cheeses, Seasonal Crudite, Roasted Garlic & Chive Dip, Mixed nuts, Dried Fruit, Salami & Summer Sausage, Gourmet Crackers, Chocolate Covered Pretzels.
Imported & Domestic Cheese Variety, Brie Cheese, Grapes, Olives, Marinated Mushrooms, Artichoke Dip, Salami & Summer Sausage, Sliced Artisan Bread, Gourmet Crackers, Creamy Vanilla or Decadent Chocolate Cake Pop.
Spinach & Mushroom Quiche, Sliced Fresh Fruit, Overnight Oats, Freshly Baked Muffin.
Bone-In Garlic & Oregano Grilled Chicken, Smoked Cheddar Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Field Greens Salad, Freshly Baked Bread Roll with Butter, Chocolate Cookies.
Slow Roasted Pulled Pork with Chef’s Secret BBQ Sauce, Soft Bread Rolls with Butter, Fried Rice, Tropical Coleslaw, Spring Greens Salad, Vanilla Cupcakes.
Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce, Pasta Alfredo, Green Beans, Traditional Cesar Salad, Freshly Baked Roll with Butter, Tiramisu.
Braised Short Ribs in a Red Wine Demi-Glace, Chive Whipped Potatoes, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Farmers Market Salad, Freshly Baked Roll with Butter, Chocolate Cake.
Pollo Asada Enchilada Bake, Red Rice, Black Beans, Avo Lime Salad, Roasted Salsa & Chips, Flan.
Herb Roasted Turkey Accompanied by Spiced Cranberry Relish, Goat Cheese Whipped Potatoes, Herb Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Field Greens Salad, Freshly Baked Roll with Butter, Pumpkin Tart.
Pecan Crusted Chicken Served with Bourbon Cream Sauce, Rosemary Roasted Heirloom Potatoes, Herb Stuffing, Garlic Green Beans, Cranberry Quinoa Salad, Freshly Baked Bread Roll with Butter, Pumpkin Tart.
Extra Large Marshmallows, Graham Crackers, Hershey’s Chocolate Squares, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Skewers, Portable Flame with Instructions.
Gingerbread Man Cookies, Red & Green Frostings, Holiday Sprinkles, Assorted Candies, Decorating Tools.
Fall or Holiday Theme Sugar Cookie Cutouts, Two Frosting Colors (of your choice), Holiday Sprinkles, Assorted Candies, Decorating Tools.
Wine, Beer, Champagne, Personal Notes, Labels, or Custom Gifts!
As we mentioned before, all of our Boxes and Kits come prepared and ready to be distributed. The menus and cutlery kits are included in each box to uphold our promise of complete ease for you and your recipients. We try to be as inclusive as possible, so of course, Vegan, Vegetarian, and Food Sensitivity Substitutions are also available.
Thanks to True Photography for all of these incredible detail shots of our Party on The Go Boxes!
Belly-Bar tables are perfect for these short plate events since you don’t need as much table space to eat!
With multiple stations per event, each guest can have several plated meals in one sitting.
After deciding to go with this kind of reception, we highly suggest informing guests in the invitation that the dinner will be cocktail style.
Some wedding professionals will argue that these progressive parties are most successful when a bride and groom provide stable seating for 50% of their guests with supplemental furniture. We say, reserve a few tables for those you know will need a seat, (lookin’ at you, Aunt Esther), and have the young folk perch on some vignette-style decor:
They can bounce freely between multiple food stations, reducing wait times.
Foodservice is what ultimately sets a progressive reception apart from the traditional wedding. Nobody wants to attend a 5-hour cocktail party with minimal appetizers, so the function of the food is imperative.
Our events specifically offer at least three short plate stations off of our menus, essentially equating to three small seated dinners for your guests!
We’ve kept in mind to serve items that are easy to consume, limiting excess flatware for those smaller tables!
If they’re hungry, they will come to the food, so there’s no need to announce food service has begun. The guests will follow the lead of the bride and groom and the wedding party.
Some of our most popular station combinations are: The Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese served with a Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque, The Braised Beef Short Ribs in a Demi-Glace with Goat Cheese Whipped Potatoes, and finally, our famous Mac n’ Cheese Bar that comes with a variety of toppings sure to please guests of all ages.
A smooth transition from light to decadent, then sweet, is critical for a perfect night, but don’t forget the late-night snack! (Nobody thinks to provide sliders and fries or milk and cookies when the late-night munchies strike. You could be the first!)
Working with Kevin and Whitney, through I Do…Weddings Event Coordination was such a dream. The ceremony area at Scripps Seaside Forum offers an elevated view of the soft waves and sprawling La Jolla Shores beach.
We love these original floral wreathes! They have a fun mix of textures between the feathery pampus grass and silvery eucalyptus.
Far enough from sandy beach-goers, but close enough to feel the cool sea breeze, this location is perfect for high-end events.
Servers from Guiseppe’s Catering at the bar whole-heartedly worked with our staff to reach every corner of the venue.
These are a fun and unique idea to bring the beach theme indoors.
Those carribean blue water goblets and beaded glass votives made us feel like we were right on the beach.
This menu was a huge hit with everyone, and many came back for seconds!
We love sweetheart tables for couples to have their own private space during the reception.
We quickly cut and served individual slices for the guests to try all the incredible flavors.
We appreciate all the talented vendors who were with us this day, especially Clove & Kin Photography and I Do…Weddings Event Coordination and Florals.
Vendors:
We love the classic elegance of these wedding rings. It reflects the happy couple’s vintage style with a fun modern flare!
The giddy smile on Briley’s face is infectious, and the sunny San Diego weather couldn’t have been more perfect.
We love working with this venue! The architecture is modern with a charming, artful beach interpretation. It’s perfect for the kind of couple looking to host a beach wedding with a formal flair.
Polished brass lanterns added to the romantic environment and lit the way down the aisle. These, paired with small bundles of silvery eucalyptus, allowed for the natural beauty of the location to shine through.
“The Glow” is already one of our favorite parts of a wedding ceremony, but it’s made extra special with this stunning backdrop.
These salty margaritas were the hit of the night! They paired well with our fresh appetizers, made on-site.
After our staff moved all the ceremony chairs into the dining room, the room twinkled in the candlelight. It looked like an elegantly romantic beach getaway, but indoors!
These unique goblets helped pull the ocean theme inside, without any cliche sand or shells needed. Framed by tall glass candle vases, and soft blue thistles, silver mercury glass votives, the scene was simply exquisite.
Each place setting had a vial of hot cocoa mix, including mini marshmallows, tucked into the pocket fold of the napkins.
Taking all those sunset photos stirs up an appetite. Thankfully, we had a Mexican-themed menu ready for all of their guests!
Guests got a first-row seat to one of San Diego’s famous breathtaking sunsets.
The love birds made sure to order a secret birthday cake for Briley’s brother’s 30th Birthday from Flour Power Cakery! The whole room sang and cheered when we blew out the candles, and we were quick to cut and distribute the sweet treat.
At the first dessert bar, guests helped themselves to fresh-made churros dipped in caramel, chocolate syrup, or whipped cream. At the second, our staff helped everyone make custom ice cream sundaes!
Huge thanks also to the fantastic team of vendors who worked with us to make this day so fun.
We hope to see you all again soon!
Vendors:
Amy Ulkutekin created, owns, and manages San Diego based event production/planning company Catalyst Creative and sister wedding planning company, First Comes Love Weddings and Events. With over a decade of event planning experience here in San Diego, with Amy, you know you’re in good hands!
Experts on a beach, in a ballroom, or overlooking a vineyard, First Comes Love Weddings and Events’ weddings reflect the individual personalities of each couple. Their coordinators make sure to work closely with their brides and grooms to create unforgettable moments.
According to their Wedding Wire, “Your wedding is the most important day of your life. You need someone to handle the details so that everything comes together seamlessly while you relax, enjoy, and celebrate your love. From making sure the favors and escort cards are set to helping you pick the perfect photographer, First Comes Love Weddings and Events will make sure your day is flawless.”
In an interview in 2018 on Narrative Images, Amy explained what her favorite part of her job was. “That no two weddings are the same. No matter how many times I’ve worked at a venue, each wedding is different because of the couples. We get to work with some really cool clients, and it’s an honor to bring their vision to life on one of the most important days of their lives.”
Happy past couples describe Amy as always “going above and beyond,” “fun,” and overall highly recommend her!
