personal touch dining Archives - Page 5 of 11

Phoebe + John | Alyssa Boynton Photography | Scripps Seaside Forum

A Beach Wedding to set 2019 Standards!

Phoebe and John had the perfect weather for their water-front ceremony and reception at Scripps Seaside Forum.

Their invitations and Paperie were done by Minted and we are so impressed with this gorgeous watercolor work that flowed throughout their event!

Phoebe was shining in her gorgeous lace gown!

Phoebe’s dress was from Badgley Mischka Bridal.

John and his groomsmen were outfitted through Hugo Boss.

These two were so perfectly matched with their surroundings:

Relaxed, Bright, and Beautiful!

The Bridal Party looked so polished in their soft gray and slate attire.

Bridesmaids dresses from Show Me Your Mumu.

The stunning floral arrangements and ceremony Chuppah were products of the masterful craftsmanship of Joel Garlejo.

We can’t help but be transfixed by Phoebe’s bouquet with all of its eye-catching unique blooms!

Twiggs Bakery Cafe delivered this casual yet clean looking nearly naked cake, perfectly fitting the wedding’s motif,

and had all the guests raving about the look and amazing flavors!

The ceremony area was breathtaking with the ocean so close

and the Chuppah draped gracefully with garlands of fresh eucalyptus.

Chuppah from Cedar and Pine Events.

It’s the tiny details, such as these hanging geometric ornaments,

that put that otherworldly touch of magic and romance onto a setting.

The ceremony was hypnotic and all attention was captivated

by the waves of genuine love cascading from John and Phoebe.

Ceremony officiated by Joann from Ceremonies De Vie.

It all came down to this magic moment…

…skillfully captured by the photographers Alyssa Boynton and Ashley Strong.

After the nuptials, cocktail hour commenced where our staff whipped up some tasty treats and drinks for the guests!

The tables were awash with royal blue goblets and marine napkins

to match Minted’s aquatic table numbers and escort cards.

Goblets and napkins by Hostess Haven.

Tables and chairs from Cedar and Pine Events.

After dinner, the dancing erupted in a flourish of fast spinning circles and

of course

the Hora!

To finish off the night, the cake was cut and promptly accompanied

by tiny flan tasters for each guest!

Huge thanks go out to John and Phoebe for including us in their special day!

We’re so appreciative of Rachel from Tres Chic Affairs for Coordinating all us vendors and working so hard!

Finally, one more shoutout to Alyssa Boynton Photography and

Ashley Strong Photography for these incredible pictures!

Featured Venue: The Thursday Club | San Diego Catering

We Love The Thursday Club!

Photographer: True Photography

With its elegant historic charm and spacious entertainment areas, it’s completely won our hearts!

Chris Eri kson, the Venue Manager of The Thursday Club, is always eager to help and has years of experience managing this venue,

making him a knowledgable and priceless asset to event planning here.

Photographer: Unveiled Wedding Photography

Known for the beautiful ambiance and stunning views, this location is a jewel in the hills of Sunset Cliffs area out in Point Loma.

When not in use entertaining events, the venue is a clubhouse for members of The Thursday Club,

a philanthropic organization dedicated to giving back to San Diego.

According to The Thursday Club’s official website, “The Thursday Club was formed in 1921 when four young women proposed the beginnings of a club that would combine social activities with worthwhile civic and benevolent projects.”

In carrying on with the tradition and founding members’ vision, “The Thursday Club continues to participate in fundraising activities as well as service projects, both large and small. Certainly the most well-known is the Annual Rummage Sale held in Balboa Park every spring…”

Offering half of the proceeds from this rummage sale to several different organizations within Balboa Park, the rest are granted to San Diego community philanthropies!

Click here for more historic facts and to check out pictures of the original clubhouse!

So if Chris and the views aren’t enough to sell you on booking here, who can say no to partying towards a purpose?

Photographer: True Photography

Recently, The Thursday Club hosted its first Event Open House!

Organized by Chris from The Thursday Club and the fabulous Courtney from Breezy Day Weddings and Florals,

the event was captured by Katherine Beth Photography.

Photographer: Katherine Beth Photography

We offered small plates of our Argentinian Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri, Grilled Zucchini, and Whipped Purple Peruvian Potatoes.

Check out our instagram to see the green of the Chimichurri and the purple potatoes pop!

We so appreciated collaborating with such talented vendors and had a blast meeting with all the excited couples interested in our food!

Photographer: Katherine Beth Photography

Since first making the preferred vendor list in 1998,

we have made countless wonderful lasting memories and friendships with The Thursday Club

and look forward to many more years of collaboration ahead!

Thanks to all the awesome photographers tagged above for making this post possible!

Catherine + Scott | True Photography | Rancho Palo Verde Ranch

Gorgeous Lake-Front Wedding in Alpine!

Scott and Catherine found a magical location for their ceremony at Rancho Palo Verde!

Moments in Bloom constructed a stunning floral arbor for the outdoor ceremony

and kept the bouquets clean-cut and classic with a variety of ivory and dusty pink roses.

True Photography dazzled us with these impressive photos of the lake in their background!

The rest of their special day was conducted in the Ballroom of the estate.

Coordination through Always Flawless Productions made setting up so effortless for us.

This happy couple had a beautiful dusty rose linen base accented with warm metallic rose gold and champagne.

Shots of navy blue, like from Scott’s suit, deepened their overall pallet.

For dinner, we provided a wine service so guests had beverages from the deluxe bar to go with their seated meals.

They enjoyed either our Braised Beef Short Ribs in a red wine demi-glace or the Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Romano Chicken.

Both entrees were served with our buttery Chive Whipped Potatoes, Petite Carrots, and a tender Baby Greens salad with Candied Pecans, Bleu Cheese Crumbles, and Shaved Red Onion.

The cake topper and cupcakes that concluded the night’s official events were from Simply Sifted!

Thanks again to Always Flawless Productions and True photography for all of your hard work!

It was fabulous being a part of the team with all of these fantastic vendors.

Craig + Heather | True Photography | The Ultimate Sky Box

Another Sky Box Stunner!!

Craig and Heather worked with Creative Affairs at The Ultimate Skybox who provided them with Chauncey to help coordinate their big day!

We absolutely love working with these ladies at Creative Affairs Inc., their events are always beautiful and run so smoothly!

The couple’s choice of colors reminded us of Diamond View’s amazing sunsets: Tiffany Blue, Peach, and Magenta.

The bridal party had a blast with True Photography, who really knocked it out of the park exploring all of downtown and taking every opportunity to have a bit of fun.

We’re always amazed at their sharp eye for the priceless angle or unique captured moment!

Their ceremony was outside on the balcony overlooking the spectacular views of Downtown San Diego…

…one of our favorite parts about The Ultimate Skybox!

Guests were encouraged to sign the “Guest Board,” a snowboard that the happy couple can proudly display in their home for years to come.

By this time in the night, the Bar was open and the happy couple treated guests to some signature drinks!

The Old Fashion and the Moscow mule were their concoctions of choice and both were fabulous crowd pleasers!

For dinner, we helped Craig and Heather choose from our extensive menu items what to serve for their guests’ seated meals.

They started with our colorfully delicious Watermelon Caprese Stack Salad, dressed with a Blueberry Basalmic Glaze.

For the main course, they chose our Filet Mignon topped with Garlic Butter and Sauteed Onions or the Mahi Mahi with our Lemon Chardonnay sauce, per guest preference.

Paired with each entree was our decadent crowd-pleasing Goat Cheese Whipped Potatoes and Asparagus Spears.

For dessert, Heather and Craig opted out of a large cake, and after cutting a cake topper from Flour Power, went mini with these adorable cupcakes!

After cake and a little more dancing, Craig and Heather had us offer some late night snacks, and with the ballpark so close, they had us serve up some of our delicious All American Sliders.

These are perfect for those late night cravings!

We just wanted to thank Heather and Craig for choosing us to help celebrate their wedding and to wish this happy couple a wonderful (slightly belated) one-year anniversary!

So grateful to Creative Affairs for all of their hard work and, as always, to True Photography for their spectacular pictures!

Amanda + Bill | Always Flawless Productions | BRICK Liberty Station

Broody is Beautiful!

Amanda and Bill brought so much romance and sultry splendor to BRICK in Liberty Station with their wedding.

All the small details took the glamorous 1940’s vibe of an old movie hand in hand with the modern air of the venue.

The gradiant red tones of these dresses adds so much depth to photos!

Deep burgundy and navy, like the Bill’s suit jacket, compliment each other so well and the florist did an effortless job of creating stunning bouquets with these hues.

For the ceremony, the Huppah was hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room so guests could see the ceremony in-the-round.

This is a clever way to allow a large guest count to still feel included in the ceremony for a more intimate approach.

All these deep reds of BRICK’s walls, the table linens, roses, and even red tones in the copper accents were broken up by gorgeous greens so deep they were almost black.

Instead of being overpowering or gloomy, the colors blended seamlessly and the room looked like an antique story book painting from Grimm’s Fairytales come to life.

Once the room was flipped from ceremony space to dining space, everything just really came together.

The lush floral arrangements and copper accents throughout the room filled the otherwise open warehouse and the mix of dark wood farm tables and rounds really optomized space in the room.

The couple brought in Tap Truck to bartend and the good-natured guys served beer and wine from their mobile intoxication station to the thirsty guests.

Along the theme of tweaking tradition, instead of a cake topper, Amanda and Bill decided to cut into a giant doughnut to share!

We also set up a Build-your-own S’mores station for guests to help themselves to all the goodies like Reese’s peanut butter cups and marshmallows.

The rest of the night was full of dancing and overall frivolity as seen here when their guests lifted Amanda and Bill during the horah dances.

To finish off the night, flanked by fireworks and friends, the happy couple bid everyone goodbye during their grand exit.

Thanks again to Bill and Amanda for bringing us along their journey towards wedded bliss. They were a wonderful couple to work with and we wish them all the best.

Thanks also to Always Flawless Productions for coordinating and as always to the BRICK staff for all of their hard work!

Madri Gras Madness | Port Pavillion on Broadway Pier

A Mardi Gras themed San Diego County school dance!

700 kids from different schools all over San Diego met at Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego for a collaborative social dance.

Backdrops Beautiful provided a massive painted backdrop of dramatic Mardi Gras masks that stretched out in the huge space of Port Pavilion.

SOS Entertainment set up an impressive stage and light display for their DJ which included two giant screens which projected light shows fluctuating in time with their music!

They also provided dance platforms, which are always crowd-pleasers, for the students to use out on the dancefloor that lit up from within to complete their look.

Lounge Appeal helped fill some space and created colorful arrangements of lounge chairs for the students to rest on in-between dances.

We provided traditional gold, green, and purple decorations. Centerpieces were decked out with grand feathers and opulent masks.

Our chefs had a blast exploring different traditional New Orleans recipes and came up with a styled menu that included Mama’s Fried Chicken, Corn Bread Hushpuppies, Muffuletta Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit, Mini King Cakes, and beverages for the students as well as for the chaperones!

All the food was delicious and easy to take on-the-go, much like how it would be at a Fat Tuesday Parade. The only thing they didn’t replicate is that classic New Orleans fried alligator dish.

We worked together with Sensational Treats who fried up fresh beignets for more dessert options, heavily dusted with powdered sugar, right in front of the kids!

Aside from eating and dancing, there was plenty of other entertainment to be had.

Black Tie Casino Events was there with several different full casino tables where experienced dealers helped the kids learn to play the games with fake chips.

What event would be complete without a photo booth?

A Little Scene put a fun twist on the classic photo booth and recorded a small video that was then printed into a flip book instantly. The students are always delighted by the fun props and action shots they’re able to capture.

The kids danced the night away in the traditional “do whatcha wanna” style (which accompanies any Mardi Gras celebration) and as strings of beads sparkled in the lights, everyone fell under the spell of the celebration spirit!

Thanks to all the vendors who joined us to make this event one-of-a-kind!

Confectionery Glee! | San Diego Catering

Wedding cakes are the newest blank canvas.

Couples can customize their cakes in nearly any fashion

and unlike our parent’s wedding cakes…

Although beautiful in their complexity, today’s cakes are simpler.

Cakes are very much like people;

they come in every shape, size, color, and flavor.

This is a chance as the Bride and Groom express yourselves on a blank canvas! Get the flavors you feel best represents your relationship and the style you feel best about!

If you’re looking for a clean classic look, check out these cakes with crisp white frosting and sharp straight edges.

Ivory or white frosting and is splashed with color from a few simple flowers to coordinate with the wedding colors. One of our favorite vendors, Flour Power Cakes, always has the most beautiful cakes with an infinite number of flavors.

Beautiful and timeless, this style goes well with modern, chic, or industrial looks.

This type of cake is also most often crowned with dainty, intricate cake toppers that can be customized to send any message the couple wants!

Oh, but believe me, we’ve also seen some unique cakes as well!

Another style that gained popularity over the last few years is the unfrosted or “naked” cake, which is the classic cake’s free-spirited cousin.

This particular cake pictured above is only “half dressed” and the style offers a trendy look while still falling under the “rustic” genre.

We’ve also had naked cakes that weren’t even caked at all!

Just recently a bride and groom ordered a giant, three-tiered Napoleon Cake for their special day. Many layers of golden brown puff-pastry are filled with millie fueille cream and dusted with powdered sugar, no frosting needed at all. It was unique, light in texture and flavor, and absolutely delicious!

If big, multiple tiers of cake just seems a bit too much, you can join another newer trend and go mini!

Not only do cupcakes allow for perfect portions, but they’re also great for exact number counts and the flavor options can be limitless!

To cut to the chase: your cake is free ground to express yourself however you want! Pick something you would want to eat. No ifs, ands, or bundts.

Recipe For Happiness:

“Happiness is like a cake we bake that creates the joy and fullness of life.

And, the recipe begins with one cup of resilience to keep it all together

Place next, one cup of acceptance for loving yourself dearly as you are

Put in one cupful of appreciation for your life and the beauty of nature

Insert one cup of direction to help follow those special goals you seek

Next, blend in one cupful of emotion for life’s intense love and feelings

Enter then, a heaping cup of relationships, made of family and friends

Stir in one cupful of giving for sharing your love and kindness with all

Stir, then add a cup of meaning for the purpose that makes happiness rise.

There you have it!”

By Sandra M. Haight from Poetry Soup.com

Featured Venue: The Ultimate Sky Box at Diamond View Towers

Where else can you get married over a baseball game in San Diego??

Photo by: True Photography

The Ultimate Sky Box in Diamond View Towers is one of our favorite venues for the wonderful Coordinating staff, chic modern style, and amazing views.

Downtown San Diego is spectacular from this angle!

The view from the patio deck has a 270-degree view of downtown and out towards the bay from Coronado Island to Point Loma.

They put on every kind of event and often host corporate events for conventions happening just down the street!

Photo by True Photography

Photo by FilmFotoFusion

Since it is 15 stories up, there are no neighbors you have to worry about keeping up late at night with all the fun you’re having.

Weddings have great success here where the glass paneled wall can be opened or closed to accommodate larger parties during the on-season.

Full ceremonies can be had outside on the deck while the game goes on.

Some couples are lucky enough to finish their vows as the Padres made a home run, unknowingly timing their nuptials to the fireworks!

With projector screens, TVs, a built-in bar, awesome staff, and electrifying views, The Ultimate Sky Box is jam-packed with features to make your event amazing.

Thanks to all of the amazing photographers who captured the Sky Box’s best angles and to the fabulous coordinating staff for all the hard work you do to put on these events!

Photo by FilmFotoFusion

BRICK Winter Open House Event

We love these networking events where we get to socialize with guests and get to collaborate with other vendors.

Our chef was inspired by the cold weather lately and decided to serve some Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on some small baguette slices for easy nibbling.

Paired with the sandwiches, we served our hearty Butternut Squash Bisque warm and ready to dip or sip!

Our famous Crispy Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic reduction glaze and bacon finished off our plate with our signature purple orchid.

Our favorite signature drink, the Apple Cider Sparkler, was a perfect compliment to our savory dish.

The Martinelli’s base is sweet and has hints of ginger and cinnamon from the ginger simple syrup made in our kitchen and the cinnamon stir-stick we use as a garnish.

Thanks to The BRICK for having us, we love this versatile venue for every type of event!

Big thanks also go out to Christine Tustin Photography for these beautiful shots of our dish and drink!

Vendor Appreciation | True Photography

Word of mouth has always been our most reliable and most lucrative source of advertisement here at Personal Touch Dining.

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

Even so, nothing beats recommendations from a trusted source.

True Photography has been an unquestionably loyal and favorite vendor of ours not only because they are fantastic to work with, but because their work is simply amazing. Few other photographers have such a skilled eye for unique angles and priceless opportune moments.

Location: Mt. Woodson Castle

Location: Leo Carrillo Ranch

Location: Mt. Woodson Castle

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 just recently, 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 for Sunday, October 27, 2019. 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 were unable to visit any venues in person).”

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

Out of the hundreds of pictures they’ve shared with us, it was nearly impossible to choose our favorites.

Here, we’ve only included a handful.

Location: Leo Carrillo Ranch

Location: Mt. Woodson Castle

Location: Leo Carrillo Ranch

Location: Mt. Woodson Castle

A Beach Wedding to set 2019 Standards!

Phoebe and John had the perfect weather for their water-front ceremony and reception at Scripps Seaside Forum.

Phoebe was shining in her gorgeous lace gown!

These two were so perfectly matched with their surroundings:

Relaxed, Bright, and Beautiful!

The Bridal Party looked so polished in their soft gray and slate attire.

The stunning floral arrangements and ceremony Chuppah were products of the masterful craftsmanship of Joel Garlejo.

We can’t help but be transfixed by Phoebe’s bouquet with all of its eye-catching unique blooms!

Twiggs Bakery Cafe delivered this casual yet clean looking nearly naked cake, perfectly fitting the wedding’s motif,

and had all the guests raving about the look and amazing flavors!

The ceremony area was breathtaking with the ocean so close

and the Chuppah draped gracefully with garlands of fresh eucalyptus.

It’s the tiny details, such as these hanging geometric ornaments,

that put that otherworldly touch of magic and romance onto a setting.

The ceremony was hypnotic and all attention was captivated

by the waves of genuine love cascading from John and Phoebe.

It all came down to this magic moment…

After the nuptials, cocktail hour commenced where our staff whipped up some tasty treats and drinks for the guests!

The tables were awash with royal blue goblets and marine napkins

to match Minted’s aquatic table numbers and escort cards.

After dinner, the dancing erupted in a flourish of fast spinning circles and

of course

the Hora!

To finish off the night, the cake was cut and promptly accompanied

by tiny flan tasters for each guest!

We Love The Thursday Club!

With its elegant historic charm and spacious entertainment areas, it’s completely won our hearts!

Chris Erikson, the Venue Manager of The Thursday Club, is always eager to help and has years of experience managing this venue,

making him a knowledgable and priceless asset to event planning here.

Known for the beautiful ambiance and stunning views, this location is a jewel in the hills of Sunset Cliffs area out in Point Loma.

When not in use entertaining events, the venue is a clubhouse for members of The Thursday Club,

a philanthropic organization dedicated to giving back to San Diego.

According to The Thursday Club’s official website, “The Thursday Club was formed in 1921 when four young women proposed the beginnings of a club that would combine social activities with worthwhile civic and benevolent projects.”

In carrying on with the tradition and founding members’ vision, “The Thursday Club continues to participate in fundraising activities as well as service projects, both large and small. Certainly the most well-known is the Annual Rummage Sale held in Balboa Park every spring…”

Offering half of the proceeds from this rummage sale to several different organizations within Balboa Park, the rest are granted to San Diego community philanthropies!

So if Chris and the views aren’t enough to sell you on booking here, who can say no to partying towards a purpose?

Recently, The Thursday Club hosted its first Event Open House!

Organized by Chris from The Thursday Club and the fabulous Courtney from Breezy Day Weddings and Florals,

the event was captured by Katherine Beth Photography.

We offered small plates of our Argentinian Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri, Grilled Zucchini, and Whipped Purple Peruvian Potatoes.

We so appreciated collaborating with such talented vendors and had a blast meeting with all the excited couples interested in our food!

Since first making the preferred vendor list in 1998,

we have made countless wonderful lasting memories and friendships with The Thursday Club

and look forward to many more years of collaboration ahead!

Gorgeous Lake-Front Wedding in Alpine!

Scott and Catherine found a magical location for their ceremony at Rancho Palo Verde!

Moments in Bloom constructed a stunning floral arbor for the outdoor ceremony

and kept the bouquets clean-cut and classic with a variety of ivory and dusty pink roses.

True Photography dazzled us with these impressive photos of the lake in their background!

The rest of their special day was conducted in the Ballroom of the estate.

Coordination through Always Flawless Productions made setting up so effortless for us.

This happy couple had a beautiful dusty rose linen base accented with warm metallic rose gold and champagne.

Shots of navy blue, like from Scott’s suit, deepened their overall pallet.

For dinner, we provided a wine service so guests had beverages from the deluxe bar to go with their seated meals.

They enjoyed either our Braised Beef Short Ribs in a red wine demi-glace or the Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Romano Chicken.

Both entrees were served with our buttery Chive Whipped Potatoes, Petite Carrots, and a tender Baby Greens salad with Candied Pecans, Bleu Cheese Crumbles, and Shaved Red Onion.

The cake topper and cupcakes that concluded the night’s official events were from Simply Sifted!

Thanks again to Always Flawless Productions and True photography for all of your hard work!

It was fabulous being a part of the team with all of these fantastic vendors.

Another Sky Box Stunner!!

Broody is Beautiful!

A Mardi Gras themed San Diego County school dance!

700 kids from different schools all over San Diego met at Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego for a collaborative social dance.

Wedding cakes are the newest blank canvas.

Where else can you get married over a baseball game in San Diego??

The Ultimate Sky Box in Diamond View Towers is one of our favorite venues for the wonderful Coordinating staff, chic modern style, and amazing views.

Downtown San Diego is spectacular from this angle!

The view from the patio deck has a 270-degree view of downtown and out towards the bay from Coronado Island to Point Loma.

They put on every kind of event and often host corporate events for conventions happening just down the street!

Since it is 15 stories up, there are no neighbors you have to worry about keeping up late at night with all the fun you’re having.

Weddings have great success here where the glass paneled wall can be opened or closed to accommodate larger parties during the on-season.

Full ceremonies can be had outside on the deck while the game goes on.

Some couples are lucky enough to finish their vows as the Padres made a home run, unknowingly timing their nuptials to the fireworks!

With projector screens, TVs, a built-in bar, awesome staff, and electrifying views, The Ultimate Sky Box is jam-packed with features to make your event amazing.

Thanks to all of the amazing photographers who captured the Sky Box’s best angles and to the fabulous coordinating staff for all the hard work you do to put on these events!

We love these networking events where we get to socialize with guests and get to collaborate with other vendors.

Our chef was inspired by the cold weather lately and decided to serve some Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on some small baguette slices for easy nibbling.

Paired with the sandwiches, we served our hearty Butternut Squash Bisque warm and ready to dip or sip!

Our famous Crispy Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic reduction glaze and bacon finished off our plate with our signature purple orchid.

Our favorite signature drink, the Apple Cider Sparkler, was a perfect compliment to our savory dish.

Chris Eri kson, the Venue Manager of The Thursday Club, is always eager to help and has years of experience managing this venue,