Monterey Wedding
The Ultimate Monterey Wedding Planning Resource
Kim Larson Bridal Make-Up & HairstylingMy date has not yet arrived and keeping it confidential for privacy as we are eloping. So don't pay attention to the date posted, because you have to post something in order to register. I wrote this for all the gals searching for Hair on their wedding day! My wedding has not happened yet but I found Kim on here and saw all the wonderful reviews! I saw the photos posted of her work and I knew Kim was the stylist for my special day. I called Kim and she was very accomodating and understanding. We are on a tight budget and she was so flexible with us. I am too, am a professional makeup artist, and I know the questions to ask,scheduling times, and all the interuptions that can occur. Kim asks all the right questions and understands brides. She is extremely professional and knows what she is doing. I cannot wait to see the fabulous work she will do on my wedding day! I will post pictures after my special day! Brides to Be you will be in great hands with Kim!
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Kim Larson Bridal Make-Up & HairstylingKim was great
she alway replied promptly. was able to do exactly what i wanted for not only my hair but also my makeup
i would highly recommend her for any occasion (well worth the cost)
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DannyStudioDanny and Julia are AMAZING... my fiance and I loved our engagement photo shoot and all of the photos. We had our engagement session in Monterey, CA, around April -- the weather was still chilly and cold, but Danny made us forget about it. He and Julia thought of very creative poses, using props all around Fisherman's Wharf, places that were meaningful to my fiance and I (as we met in Monterey). Danny gave us a sneak peak of the photos in less than a week... and the retouched images quickly followed. We love looking at our photos and can't wait to showcase them at our wedding in May. We highly recommend Danny for beautiful, artistic, creative, and fun photos!
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Layers Sensational CakesI had a small wedding and decided to go with cupcakes with a cake topper and honestly, I would have paid more than what they charged me. The cakes were yummy, and they looked beautiful! I have been getting my brithday cake here since I was sixteen, I'm now 27, and hae always known I would get my wedding cake here. The only disappointment was that I felt like I had to chase them down to get answers to questions and then to follow up in the weeks before the big day. Thankfully, they came through beautifully and I would definitely recommend them to anyone, just be sure to be on your A game.
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Big Time Video ServicesMy wife is very happy with Peri's service, therefore I am happy :) Isn't that all that is supposed to matter? Peri was fine to deal with, did a professional job and we were very happy with the final product. We are glad we did it, we almost didn't go with video, but just watched it again tonight with friends that couldn't be there and are happy we ad it done.
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My husband and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary next month! We are doing a California coast road trip from San Diego (where we live) all the way up through SF, ending at Lake Tahoe! So far we have hotels booked in Santa Ynez (wine country) & Cambria (quaint beach town). We want to stay one night in Monterey, then 2 nights in San Fran! Any suggestions on really nice hotels under $300 per night? You can throw in restaurant suggestions if you want too :)~
This is a first time to both locations for us!
Thank you!
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wedding is October 1, 2011 @ Monterey. I have been worrying about the weather. They say Sept/Oct is the best times there. is that true?
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Hi Ladies,
I was wondering if there were any Monterey Bay brides?
If so do you guys be interested in getting together and talking about wedding stuff/hang out?
PM me if you are!
~Chrisalen
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Anyone been to New Years in Monterey Bay? I think I have an idea of what to expect, but wanted to see if anyone has done this before on New Years Eve. I am excited to get away :D
Thanks!
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Does anyone know of some good makeup people in the Monterey area? I can't seem to find much on yelp or any other sites. I'm looking for someone who can make me glow for under $100 per person.
Thanks!
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We already have a place to stay, but dont really know what to do or see beyond the Aquarium. We are not super active sporty kinda people. Maybe historical, arty stuff, food, shopping, what else is cool? Also any cool day trips in surrounding areas worth doing? Thanks!
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Monterey Wedding Bios
He proposed to me on the evening of our six year anniversary. We went to Monterey for our anniversary, spent
some time at the aquarium and cannery row, ate dinner at a fancy french restaurant called Fresh Cream, and then went back to our beach-front hotel suite which had a living room with stone floors, a fireplace, and a view of the ocean. He poured two
glasses of wine and gave me an anniversary gift - a book describing our six years together, pictures of all the memories we've shared, and the reasons why he loves me.
At the end of the book he said, maybe you can help me fill in the picture
on the last page.... and then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. =)
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For our wedding we went with a traditional style, but it wasn't in a church. We rented a hotel/convention center room to hold both the wedding and reception and we stayed at that same hotel the same night. DoubleTree Monterey
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Let's see... where to start... Well, we met in Napa Valley in June 2005. The building he worked in was right behind the building I worked in. Sometimes, when I would go outside to head to a different building in the complex, he would be sitting in front of his building on his harley. I kept noticing him, but couldn't get up the courage to go over and say hi. (Plus, I was a chef at the time and was alway covered in some sort of food product, so I wasn't sure how appealing I was). Finally, one day, he came up to me and asked me out for a beer after work.
We met at the bar across the street when I got off work, talked for like 3 hours (which by then was last call at the bar). Neither of us were looking for a serious relationship, as he had just gotten out of one and I was planning on moving out of the country in a few months.
I knew he was the one when it started getting closer to the time I was going to move and we had been spending so much time together. I would get so upset at the thought of him not being there, and not being able to just pick up the phone and call him whenever I wanted that I decided not to move and to stay in Napa Valley. It was the best decision I have ever made! I would have never lasted out of California, anyway. I don't know WHAT I was thinking when I decided to move...
We got engaged at a Poison/Ratt concert. It was really sweet!! Ratt played first and FI got to go backstage and hangout with them. Then Poison came out and put on one heck of a show. Close to the end of their set, they played "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" which is one of our favorite songs. We were general admission, so we were standing. He pulled me close and told me how much he loved me and that he will always love me. Then he said "Can I ask you a question". It was really loud since we were standing by the speakers, so I had to ask him to repeat himself. So he did, and I looked at him and he pulled out the ring and said "Will you marry me?" I instantly burst into tears and completely forgot about everyone around me, including the band. I'm sure the people standing around us were wondering why I was sobbing, but who cares! The funny part was that he has only talked to my dad that morning, so when I called to tell them, they said, "Wow! That was fast!!" I've had SO much fun telling everyone and showing off my "bling". Every time my mom see's it, she tears up... But that's a mom for you... :)
We're planning to have the wedding somewhere here in the Monterey/Carmel Area, overlooking the ocean. Not sure where, it depends on what we like. Our colors are mocha brown and steel blue/gray.
I am lucky enough to have a mom that is an excellent seamstress and she will be making my dress. I'll post pictures as the progress continues.
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Oh boy, another wedding planning site! I think I belong to about 5 now. Ha! Thanks to theknot.com for introducing me to projectwedding :)
Here's a little info about us :)
Dan and I met in late November 2002. It was at a
club. We danced the night away and to be honest, I never thought I'd see him again. We were young, fresh out of our first "important" relationships and definitely not looking for a significant other. A week to the day after I'd first met
him, I saw him again! It was at In-N-Out burger, and due to a bad case of laryngitis, I avoided eye contact with every fiber of my being. No way did I want him to come over & try talking to me- all I could do was make awful squeaking noises!
Of course, he saw me. He came over- all smiles- and we "talked" (I squeaked) I apologized a million times for my lack of voice and he just thought it was cute. We spent about an hour talking, getting to know each other. He
asked for my number and we went on our first real date a week later. After about a month of dating we decided to make it exclusive. On December 21, 2002 we were boyfriend/girlfriend (oh how those dates and titles were so important back then!
hehe)
We moved in together after 3 years of dating, and a year after that he proposed :) The engagement was amazing. I really did not see it coming AT ALL! I was at home laying on the couch in my pjs after a bad day at work. I felt funky,
and he just so happened to have the ring. His grand plan (he later told me) was to propose on our 4th anniversary at dinner in Monterey. Apparently though, he couldn't wait :) He only had the ring about 2 days and he just *had* to ask me right
then and there. Plus, he told me, he knew it would cheer me up after my awful day! So on December 7th at about 10:30pm we were engaged. Happy tears all around!
Life has been pretty crazy since then. We knew we wanted to wait at least a
year to have the wedding. We were deep in the throws of house buying, ups and downs with work- you know how it goes. We just bought our house on January 7th and now the wedding planning has begun! We're both so excited about how everything is
coming. It's a short time to plan such a big event but so far, so good! I'm hoping to update this page pretty often & I'm always searching for tips & ideas from other brides-to-be!
xo
Nic
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-Location-
The Grand Tradition Estate – Beverly Mansion
Fallbrook, CA
(760) 728-6466
www.grandtradition.com
Our on-site coordinator - Jenna
Fransway
Rating: (A+) My first visit to the Grand Tradition was alone and just a recon mission as my FI was at work. We had visited quite a few places, maybe 10, before here. As soon as I left I called him and told him he HAD to see it. We went back
later that afternoon and I showed him around. He loved it as much as I did. We took our Mom's with a week after and it was a unanimous decision...we we're all smiling from ear to ear as we paid the deposit and selected our date. The night of the
wedding, Jenna and the whole Grand Tradition staff was amazing. They had always been very friendly and willing to help through our months of planning and the wedding night was no difference! Everything went so smooth and I didn't have to worry about a
thing with Jenna by my side. All of the guests had a great time, the facilities were as beautiful as ever, the food was outstanding and the night was a dream! Worth every penny and then some, A++++ from my husband and I!!
-Photography-
Engagement and Wedding:
Meurer Image
Carlsbad, CA
(760) 634-9782
www.meurerimage.com
Husband and wife team - Chris and Andrew Meurer
Rating:
(A+) Engagement pictures were great. There were only a few posed shots and then plenty of fun natural ones. Their team dynamic is stellar! They always answered emails within 24 hours and were really flexible. They showed up early on the wedding
day and stayed all night log. We actually ended up with all 3 photographers for the night (what a value)! We've seen a few pictures and they are great so far...can't wait for the rest! They were all professional and you never noticed them in your
face but you knew they were all around shooting their hearts out!
Boudoir:
HenryC Photography
Orange County, CA
(562) 254-8871
www.henryc.com
Husband and wife team - Henry and Cindy Chan
Rating: (A) They were so easygoing. With a topic
like boudoir it's important to feel calm, relaxed and have fun and they really made that easy for me! Would recommend this style of photography to anyone looking for a good time as well as a terrific boost in self esteem!
Trash the
Dress:
Dezign Photography by DeShun
San Marcos, CA
(760) 809-1240
www.dezignphotography.com
Husband and wife team - Deshun and Yasmine
Rating: (C) Photos were not that
great. He was looking for more “high-fashion” and his wife was looking for trashing. We too thought we were doing a TTD shoot so we were prepared to get dirty. She got a bit of an attitude on the phone with me because they weren’t
what she was looking for. He seemed rushed when he was shooting; I think they packed his schedule too full. Can’t complain too much since it was free (he was just starting out in the TTD field).
-DJ-
Can-Do Productions, Inc.
San Marcos, CA
(760) 471-4796
www.candodj.com
Owner and DJ – Victor Cannon
Rating: (A+) Victor is so funny and outgoing! We met with him twice before the
wedding and I liked his attention to detail. He went over everything with us and practiced the names of the bridal party until he had it down pat. He did a great job at working with our coordinator to make the night run smoothly. Our guests really liked
his style and interaction. He was a great addition to our memorable night!
-Officiant-
Pastor David Plank
Vista, CA
(760) 727-1555
www.pastorplank.com
Rating: (B+) Pastor Plank is such a sweet, caring man. He seemed to be a little forgetful about some things but he did a nice job at the wedding. He put some character into the ceremony and had the guests laughing a little.
-Flowers-
Anar Floral
Vista, CA
(760) 734-1400
www.anarfloral.com
Our floral designer – Ariana Parsi
Rating: (C) Ariana did a nice job with the flowers, I wish
they were a little fresher. Some had brown spots starting to show by the end of the night. She was patient through the process and let me change my mind a lot! When she brought the flowers they were not marked so the guys didn't know who was supposed
to wear what bout. The groomsmen and father's ended up with the wrong ones but whatever. The rentals that we were supposed to used had to be changed a little bit since a previous bride didn't return all of them so we had to use backup versions. It
was a little off without the blue vases but nobody knew but me! Last, I don't remember her telling me that I was in charge of returning the rentals...I thought she would go pick them up but apparently I was wrong. She called a week after the wedding
while we were on honeymoon and I had to call my Mom and ask her to deal with Ariana since I wasn't going to be back. She needed the vases in 3 days for another wedding and my Mom said she tried to argue with her and that she had a little
attitude.
-Cake-
Jodee’s Bakery
Temecula, CA
(951) 699-2399
www.jodeesbakery.com
Owner and Master Designer - Malinda
Rating: (A) Malinda, the
designer/owner, is so cute! I loved the cake tasting, her ideas are so neat and she was willing to work with us on our style, guest count and cake wishes! The cake turned out almost perfect. We wanted a dark ivory frosting with white design...the ivory
could have been a little darker but that's the only thing, everything else was spot on. The taste was just like the tasting, delicious! There was enough cake to go around and some people even came back for a second piece! I told my husband that
I want to order cakes from her for every occasion now!!
-Limo-
Palomar Limo
Carlsbad, CA
(760) 720-9400
www.palomarlimo.com
Rating: (A+) Our driver was early, kind and didn't have a lead foot! He did a great job
manuvering the stretch limo through the cars and up the narrow driveway leading to our hotel room. I didn't think any driver would be able to get us close enough to our room but he pulled it off like it was nothing! Price was great too, didn't want
to take us for every penny!
-Photobooth-
Photo Booth Now
Fallbrook, CA
(877) 517-7770
www.photoboothnow.com
Booth coordinator and contact: Christopher
Rating: (A+)
Christopher was a big help with the contract and questions. The price was a steal compared to the bigger name companies and I liked that it was a curtain all the way around instead of a wood box...it allowed for more people to be in the shot with the
curtain! Everyone loved the booth and I liked that the attendant printed extra copies for the bridal party when we did group shots! Less than 2 weeks after the wedding we had a disc in our mailbox of all the pictures taken!
-Table Linens-
Bonsall Village Florist
Fallbrook, CA
(760) 941-7314
www.bonsallvillageflorist.net
Our coordinator - Sharon
Rating: (A+) Sharon was
really helpful and sweet! Prices are great and she wasn't trying to push a lot of extra pieces off on us! The linens looked great, even though they were simple...it was exactly what we wanted!
-Hair & Makeup-
Cindy Rankin
Oceanside, CA
(760) 994-7733
www.cindyrankin.com
Celebrity Make-up and Hair Stylist
Rating: (A+) Had my trial with
Cindy and it was great. We tried 3 hair styles and the 3rd was a charm. I had a good time with her, she's very friendly and was so patient. She did a fab job for the wedding. I looked beautiful, the bridesmaids looked so pretty and natural as
well. Cindy made my Mom look a few years younger and the best part...it lasted all night long!! Cindy is very talented and affordable!!
-Bridal Gown-
Wedding Gown:
BridalGown.Net
Webster, NY
(315) 524-4526
www.bridalgown.net
Rating: (A) I went to local shops and tried on gowns until I found the one I loved. I then found bridalgown.net and read up about their
services and quality and purchased from them at a $200.00 savings. Dress came in perfect condition and exactly as I wanted. Came a little later than quoted (said 16-18 weeks and arrived at week 20). Worth the price!!
Trash the Dress
Gown:
David’s Bridal
Vista, CA
(760) 806-9745
www.davidsbridal.com
Rating: (A) Usually I don’t like David’s Bridal stores as their employees always seem to be mad
at the world unless they make the sale. I went here for a $99 dress for my TTD shoot and found what I was looking for. The girls were nice, helped me but didn’t push and had the dress steamed overnight for me!
-Alterations-
Bridal Showcase
Vista, CA
(760) 630-1440
www.bridalshowcasebrides.com
Rating: (A+) Alterations are going great. Both myself as well as 1 bridesmaid are having
alterations done at Bridal Showcase. They are very fast and turning out perfect! Alterations all done and 110% satisfied. My dress and BM's fit like a dream, great pressing service and fast turn around!
-Bridesmaids
Dresses-
Bridal Showcase
Vista, CA
(760) 630-1440
www.bridalshowcasebrides.com
Sales Rep - Jennifer
Rating: (A+) Dresses arrived quickly and as ordered. Jennifer was a
big help and was understanding to the fact that I had to come in multiple times before making my decision on which dresses to order.
-Mother of the Bride/Groom Dresses-
Mother of the Bride:
Chantik
Escondido, CA
(760) 737-5017
Rating: (B+) The sales women were a little pushy but backed off as soon as I let them know that if we needed assistance I would go and find one of them. We didn’t go with the intention of
purchasing, we were just looking but did end up buying that day. They had a small selection of dresses and not a lot of sizes but we did manage to find a nice pair of dress pants and a beautiful top (my Mom isn’t the dress type)!
Mother
of the Groom:
Aria Bridal
Escondido, CA
(760) 834-2742
www.ariabridal.com
Rating: (D) Customer service wasn’t what it should be and prices are high. Purchased off the rack
and they gave a small discount since it was a discontinued style. I went back weeks later and the sales girl made a few snide comments about our previous visit. Good selection of dresses so I suggest using their store to try on and get an idea but
not to purchase. They cut off as many dress tags as possible and switch around item numbers so take notes on what the dress looks like if you plan to purchase elsewhere. Watch out though, they are on you like hawks!
-Tux-
Friar Tux Shop
Vista, CA
(760) 414-9800
www.friartux.com
Rating: (A+) Guys looked great. Easy to order with, flexible when it came to pick up and drop off dates and times and they
were right on with the measuring and all of the orders were right the first time.
-Rehearsal Dinner-
Monterey Bay Canners
Oceanside, CA
(760) 722-3474
www.montereybaycanners.com
Rating: (A) The service was great, our waitress was a hit! The food was good and everyone enjoyed their meal and drinks. They accomodated us with bringing in our own cake! The restaurant doesn't have a seperate room so
they try to keep you in your own area but it's hard to keep nosy people away.
-Invitations and STD Magnets-
DIY Invitations:
*paper supplies from*
Kelly Paper
Escondido, CA
(760) 489-0093
www.kellypaper.com
Rating: (A+) The girls that work there are really nice and helpful. Helped me pick out paper weight and colors, called other stores to check availability and they have
great prices. Invites turned out great and I really think they helped with the outcome by being so knowledgeable.
Save the Date Magnets:
Ebay Vendor – Our Space on the Web
www.stores.ebay.com/Our-Space-On-The-Web
Rating: (A) Magnets came out good and it was so easy. They email you the proof based on what you say you want and then you can make changes until you’re content. Magnets came
3 days after I gave the “go ahead” and they looked great for the price, they were so affordable. I should have spent a little more time tweaking the colors, but other than that I was pleased.
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