Archive for July, 2010
You can’t beat a elegant, yet intimate wedding
Posted by: Chris Campbell
July 29th, 2010 >> Other, Preferred Vendors, Preferred Venues, Weddings
There really is nothing quite like a beautiful afternoon in San Diego. Couple that with a lovely wedding ceremony at a beautiful venue and you are bound to have a day to remember. It was another picturesque day in downtown La Jolla at the La Jolla Woman’s Club. Dorothy and Jeremy’s special day was about to begin and The Abbey team was quickly putting the finishing touches on a reception. Our couple was married in front of the famous LJWC fountain by ordained minister Lois. The back patio was adorned with luxurious contemporary lounge furniture to compliment the “flow” reception that was to take place right after the ceremony. Our presented buffet, Martini Tree Bar , and Espresso Station from Eurobar also framed the back garden reception. Afterward, the guests were treated to a cocktail hour in the garden, followed by a fantastic sit down dinner service.
Then it was time for the party to really begin. Dj Randy took the stage and regaled guests with music selected by our happy couple. Nothing gets, and keeps, a party moving like the precision sounds of DJ Randy. As the cake was served and the dancers began to slow down…there was no doubt that all in attendance had the time of their life. And none more than the bride and groom themselves. The night was a hit!
It was a distinct pleasure working with Dorothy and Jeremy to make their day so wonderful. Congrats to the happy couple.
It was a distinct privilege for The Abbey Catering & Event Design to be a part the recent launch party for the Rob Benzon Foundation here in San Diego. It was a beautiful evening in terms of weather and in spirit. This foundation trades pride in being able to not only help people in need, but to help others help people in need. Without the tireless effort by those involved, many would not benefit to the extent that they do now. It truly was a magical evening. The Abbey Catering & Event Design was proud to be a major part of making the magic for the party.
The special VIP lounge, as well as the silent auction, where special attractions which brought in generous donations. The hundreds of guests enjoyed beautiful views from this spectacular private property and lounged around the grounds which included a glamorous pool with a water fall attached. Guests enjoyed food stations and mingled while enjoying 4 open bars which served up cool, refreshing drinks all evening.
It is being a part of events like this that make working with The Abbey so fulfilling and delightful. And the behind to the hundreds of local people was the icing on the cake. If you have an upcoming event that The Abbey can help with, please feel free to contact anyone of us at our site.
A Healthy Bride is an Organized Bride
Posted by: Liz, Blogger
As the months turn into weeks and the weeks turn into days, the time remaining before a bride gets married shrinks at an exponential rate as the big day arrives. There is always something on the “To Do” list that has to take priority. Usually as things get pushed down the list, exercise gets pushed down the furthest at times. Which in a way can makes things worse. The Abbey Blog has been focusing for weeks now on things a bride to be can do to keep up a healthy fitness program on the road to her nuptials. In those posts we have been focusing on different exercises, diets and regimes that will help you prepare. But one thing that can get overlooked in regards fitness is Time Management. Time Management can be crucial to the success or failure of any fitness program. If enough time is not set aside for the program, it will fail. But just setting aside time to exercise doesn’t equal success. Proper time, the right time or quality time is critical. A completely stressed out, hurried routine will not have the same benefit that a relaxed, enjoyed workout can provide. In addition to that, the cool down time is not as effective because filled with worries of what needs to get done next. And don’t even get me started with what stressed out sleep is like.
So having a good Time Management system in place can do wonders for your fitness program in helping you get the best out of what you do when you exercise. Almost without exception, brides today are organized. From Day Planners, to Google Calendars, to Smartphones…today’s women are organized. But even with all those productivity apps on your phone, the amount to get done exceeds the time available. That is where The Abbey comes in to help. Not only will our consultants years of experience help, but those years of experience come with years of contacts and connections. The San Diego wedding industry is massive and navigating it can be quite tricky. We have a wide selection of vendors that we are proud to work with. We are on a number of Venue’s Preferred Caterer Lists and are partners with The La Jolla Woman’s Club in beautiful historic La Jolla, California. Another time saver and stress reducer…All Inclusive Wedding Packages. The Abbey Catering & Event Design is the only San Diego company to offer a true All Inclusive Wedding Package. With an Abbey Package, everything is covered. The venue, food, beverages, photographer, videographer, flowers, music, coordination, officiant, limo….even the honeymoon at our luxury condo in Maui if desired. We can make all the stress of meeting with dozens of people disappear. And having a single source of contact can create a wealth of time for the more important things leading up to your wedding, like a fitness program.
Please feel free to contact any one of our wedding and event consultants here for more information.
When brides want a classic look without the stress of a full veil, a perfect choice is the birdcage veil. Lightweight and easy to attach, the attachments place little stress on the hair while still giving full coverage as a veil, and add a contemporary look to a classic fashion style.
Different types of netting add full flexibility of choice to the bride, with the French net adding a softer, lace look and the Russian net appearing bolder, with more defined fabrics used. The high-fashion styles feature embellished details on the netting, and look great with added feather flower fastener.
Birdcage veils have made big news in Hollywood, with celebrities such as Madonna, Drew Barrymore and Reese Witherspoon all admitting to be fans of the style. The trend is said to be a spin-off from the tea-length wedding gown, although we love the veil in its own right because it is unique, fun and it certainly turns heads at any ceremony. The accents on the fasteners remind us of the statement jewelry trend happening at the moment, and with gown fashions becoming more princess-like and romantic, this is a beautiful way to modernize a classic look with style.
We here at The Abbey are seeing quite a bit of both worlds in the brides we have been working with lately. There is a great love of the classic aspects of a ceremony and reception. But with most of the younger brides, adding little personal touches that are a little different from the norm seems to be exact what the bride ordered.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
Posted by: Chris Campbell
July 22nd, 2010 >> Other, Preferred Venues, Tablescapes, Weddings
The wedding day of this special couple was located at the bay front Coronado Community Center. There were 200 privileged guests which attended this marvelous event. Outside, on a luscious green lawn the couple said “I do” while a harpist was gently plucking peaceful tunes. The color scheme of this wedding was chocolate brown and purple, with the two colors creating an impeccable harmony inside the reception hall. The center pieces for the tables had branches of a Manzanita, with dangling chains of crystal beads, some of which had candles that created a delicate ambiance which the guests enjoyed along with their entrées. White orchids added to the center pieces elegance and sense of bliss.
The main courses were presented as four separate gourmet stations scattered throughout the reception room to maintain a good flow of service and efficiency for the guests. A “Glamorous Slider Bar” was the first station and served up some scrumptious all Angus beef sliders supplied with a surplus of condiments. Another station had authentic Mexican cuisine including flat ironed “Carne Asada”, “Pollo Asada”, a papaya salad medley with organic greens, slivered almonds, Cotija cheese and topped with a citrus honey vinaigrette. To accommodate any desire and taste, an Oriental station was also presented with appetizing Buckwheat Soba noodles with a garlic soy sauce and pan roasted button mushrooms and Thai peppers all served in Chinese “To-Go” boxes. Last but in no way least… the Mashed Potato Martini Bar. Glass Martini glasses filled with garlic mashed potatoes hung from our unique Signature Abbey Martini Tree and was a phenomenal success.
The clients left the reception with all of their expectations exceeded and created memories they will carry with them forever. For more information about The Abbey create a spectacular event for you or to get details about the Nautilus Room at Coronado Community Center, click on over to our site here.
Our 100th Blog, and going full steam ahead.
Posted by: Chris Campbell
July 21st, 2010 >> Events, Other, Promotions, Weddings
“Life moves pretty fast….If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” The immortal words of Ferris Bueller ring more true in this day and age of cell phones, tweets and instant messaging. Whether it is our work, our family or friends…life pulls us in so many different directions it can be hard to take a moment and reflect on the past and how enjoyable life can be. Here at The Abbey, we are not much different. 2009 was a great year for us and 2010 is following the same course. We are expanding each day and there are a number of new surprises around the corner for us as a company.
What does this all mean? Well, in thinking over the past, with just this blog in mind, we have had the honor of being part of so many happy, joyous, fun filled days with our brides, grooms and clients. One focus of the blog has been to highlight, not only us, but our brides and their amazing creativity in envisioning their wedding days. San Diego weddings have a distinct charm and feel to them. Catering to those ideas and needs has always been a great way to help a couple realize that their special day is just the start of their journey together. It also gives them something to stop and look back on as well(when life is moving pretty fast). And we want to celebrate all of them in their journey.
As our Blog moves into the second phase of maturity, we are looking forward to bringing local brides-to-be, great information that they can benefit from in the planning stages leading up to their special day. Being able to connect to people, brides, companies, corporations and organizations in the San Diego area that help the community, give back to society and continue to make the industry we have come to love one of the most fulfilling industries to be in. We couldn’t be more excited about what the near future holds for us as a company and what that will mean to those we help in the coming weeks, months and years. It is with a deep appreciation that we would like to thank the wonderful people of San Diego for their continued support.
Further details about upcoming events, prizes, parties and giveaways will be coming soon, so stay in touch with the blog. Or feel free to follow all the goings on with the company at Twitter and Facebook with updates to stay in the know. Or you can get in touch with one of our professional event consultants directly by clicking over to our website here.
With a theme based on “going on a great
vacation”, the decorations kept the 200
plus guests on their toes with games all
night long! Miniature suitcases, seashells,
and world destinations were used in a
variety of ways; not only for decorations,
but for guests to fill up their wedding
invitations, disguised as passports. What
better place to have a vacation wedding
than the island of Coronado! Beautiful
white linens swayed with the ocean breeze
and were accompanied with perfect vases
of golden sunflowers!! This wedding was a
sure fire hit to send off a gorgeous new
couple on their travels through life!!
Bon Voyage you two.
Sincerely,
Petr Trebin
And for more info about the Glorious Coronado Community Center Nautilus Room, contact us here.
Valerie & Patrick’s amazing day at La Jolla’s Darlington House
Posted by: Chris Campbell
July 11th, 2010 >> Preferred Vendors, Preferred Venues, Weddings
The perfect blend of music played as the radiant bride, in her enchanting dress, as she walked into the Rose Garden of the Darlington House for a reception to remember. As friends and family were fighting back tears of joy, the bride and groom were greeted by the natural beauty of the blooming roses as well as the amazing arrangements provided by Artquest Floral, an Abbey Preferred Vendor. As the evening progressed, Valerie and Patrick enjoyed a wonderful meal followed by an exceptional beautiful cake by FlourPower. When the morsels had all been eaten, it was time to get down and boogie. And the bride put her fabulous shoes through quite a workout on the dance floor with mix of music from Blake of DJ Randy’s pleasing everyone there. It truly was the topper to the end of a perfect day in La Jolla. All of us at The Abbey wish you the best in your new life together. It has been a sublime pleasure getting to know you both and helping in making your wedding day so perfect.
Robert B.
- Floral by Atruro at ArtQuest
- Darlington House Rosegarden
- Valerie & Patrick’s cake by Flourpower
- Our Brides’ beautiful seating chart
- Blake of DJ Randy
Because a video speaks a thousand pictures.
Posted by: Liz, Blogger
July 8th, 2010 >> Abbey Vendors, Other, Preferred Vendors, Weddings
When San Diego brides were asked, “What’s your biggest wedding day regret?”, many of them said they wished they had hired a videographer in addition to friends and family filming the event. A long-standing tradition in wedding planning has been choosing the right photographer, but now many brides are turning to moving images to remember every detail of their ‘I do’.
As technology changes, newly weds are becoming more technology-savvy, using video hosting websites such as YouTube.com and Facebook to show off their wedding day. Choosing a professional video company offers you the benefits of having not only a full length movie of their special day, but edited ‘teaser’ videos to post to extended friends’ networks on various social networking sites. This is also a benefit for those who could not make it to be there in person, or as a consolation for those who simply didn’t make the guest list.
A popular trend at the moment is ‘first look’ weddings. Often the bride and groom miss out on enjoying the romantic reunion at the altar with all eyes on them from friends and family, but many are now opting to enjoy that special moment alone, with just the videographer to capture the tell-it-all emotions of love which his expression will show. This is a perfect scene to have edited into any wedding video, as it will serve as an eternal reminder of what their wedding day stands for; love, admiration and unity.
Let us know what type of theme you have in mind for your special day….click here.
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The Abbey Catering & Event Design in Riviera Magazine
Posted by: Chris Campbell
July 7th, 2010 >> Other, Promotions
In embracing the social media explosion of the 21st century, we here at The Abbey have seen the impact it can have on a business. Not just on a business, but on the daily lives of those involved. From the brides and grooms to the vendors and venue managers, the connections and information that is exchanged, passed on and relayed is immensely beneficial. But having been in the business for over a decade here in San Diego, we have also come to realize the the tremendous potential of “old fashioned” advertising. Print ads in bridal, lifestyle and local magazines have always proven effective in generating interest in one’s services. Despite paper magazines not being cutting edge anymore, getting our name out there to the masses in a high quality publication like Riviera has always been a great way to showcase what we do.
The July/August edition of Riviera Magazine is one that many San Diego “foodies” look forward to every year. This is to the gourmet world what the September issue of Vogue is to the world of fashion. Highlighting the finest dining in San Diego is the main highlight of this issue. So to be apart of this issue is a source of great pride for us. We invite you to take a gander at the issue hitting newsstands shortly or head on over to the digital version located here. It has but a few examples of delectable delights you can expect from The Abbey Catering & Event Design at your next special event.





















