Archive for August, 2011
Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After
Posted by: Chris Campbell
Cheer dances in the body language of all those around - the setting sun slowly filling the night and hearts of the people.
The postcard experience of Ocean View Villas was the perfect setting for this lazy, hazy, fun-filled wedding. With the dramatic views atop the sunset cliffs, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the excited couple said “I do” among overjoyed family and friends.
The couple envisioned an all-white classic wedding with a few flattering quirks. The tablescapes were mesmerizing, gowned in crisp white linens, dazzling with crystal stemware, adorned with simple white wooden folding chairs, and united by an original floral centerpiece designed by our friends at Artquest flowers.
Once the ceremony was over guests were welcomed into the cocktail area, where servers weaved in and out with mouth watering treats – specific morsels of the bride and groom – while playful family and friends shared laughter over the snapshots at the photo booth and the bartenders kept the drinks flowing.
The couple opted for a traditional seated dinner, a fine dining experience complimented by the Abbey’s signature salad and a dual entree finale; so each guest had the chance to try both awe-inspiring main course.
As the sun set, the warm glow of evening turned to the cool dark of night and guests danced with the stars – infused by the hip beats of DJ Randy – who mixed in the prime requests while reading the crowd with a psychic pertinence, persuading the crowd to move in tune to the ever evolving mood.
It was a true pleasure for us to experience this special day. Lydia and Qihai chose one of the Abbey’s spectacular wedding packages – which including all the rest – beheld the Maui Penthouse! Their union was feverishly fantastic and begot an event that will not be forgot.
A private mini orchestra plays for the guests at this event.
Picking out your wedding dress was the first thing you did and now you’re in the middle of planning your ceremony, but don’t forget about your cocktail hour which comes before your reception. You will need music of course, because a cocktail hour with music is like a birthday cake without birthday candles.
There are so many options available from which you can choose, to make life a little less confusing I will give you a short list of traditional and contemporary selections:
- Traditional – have your reception DJ to bring in some ambient mellow background melodies.
- Modern – use a jazz trio or quartet to spice up the evening, a local singer/songwriter to regale your guests with some masterful guitar pieces.
- Trendy – have a solo cellist or harpist charm your guests and keep family and friends moving smoothly to their silky beat
- Themed – hire a tin drummer bringing sounds that emanate the oceanic beach themes.
The main key to make your event and your music selection uniquely yours during your cocktail hour is to add your own personal touch, be creative, create your own vision.
The Details are in the Details
Posted by: Chris Campbell
August 23rd, 2011 >> Art, Design, Events, Tips, Trends, Weddings
You know, with most of your time spent planning your perfect day, we know it can be quite hectic. Though using your favored resources i.e… help from family, friends, and the team here at The Abbey, can help make all the difference. We would like to recommend a little checklist to make things go easier, because little things matter and the details are in the details. How about this:
- The perfect venue – check
- #1 caterer in San Diego – check
- Wedding vendors & coordinator – to fill in all those minor details – check
- Ceremony and reception preparation – check
Now if anything, I know you’d want your guest to be impressed by the setting and ambiance of a love filled day labored with comfort and anticipation. So, that brings us to the last check on your list above, and I would have to say one of the quickest ways to dress your ceremony and reception is your chair selection. Chairs can bring elegance, clarity, and comfort to both the feel of the space and to guests, of who are made to feel a little like royalty.
A little detail goes a long way, especially with the old style classical feel of chiavari chairs if that is your vision. It’s important to source the right chair for your day and the team can help you. Depending on the decor that you have set your heart upon, there are many options in the way of chairs to help you. The same chair can be used at both ceremony and reception, but if you are having a beach ceremony I think you would probably emphasize your floral decor, the arch and the surroundings to bring out a romantic oceanic feel as the waves crash upon the shore blessing your union, I recommend a simple white wooden folding chair. They’re padded for your guests comfort and can be attained for about $2.50 each. Next, do you transfer those chairs to your reception or go another route. What does your venue say to you? Is it a hall, garden, historic building, or more contemporary? Fort the three former, I like to see a chiavari chair. You can select from a variety of colors for your chair & pad. Prices vary pending your color and availability but expect to spend approximately 4 times the standard wooden chair. There are also clear lucite chairs to dress your day should you be in a more contemporary venue or museum. There are a variety of styles to suit your every need. Contact your event consultant today to discuss the right direction for your day.
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- A black wood folding chair with a black pad
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- A modern style kids booster chair
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- A mahogan Chivari chair with a white pad
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- A mahogany wood folding chair with a black pad
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- A natural wood Chivari chair with an ivory pad
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- A natural wooden folding chair with an ivory pad
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- A natural wood high chair
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- A silver Chivari chair with a black pad
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- A whie wood folding chair with a white pad
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- Chiavari chairs for your reception
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- Simple white folding chairs to emphasis the floral decor, arch and beach surroundings
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- Another example of chiavari chairs, elegant and comfortable
If you would love to have the use of our trade secret resources contact us for your next event…
The only thing that outdoes the beautiful sensations brought by our eclectic event set designs would be the warm air coasting out from our kitchen. Warm breezes that bring with them mouth watering scents of some of the most delicious food known to the world.
The grandness of our food is due the keen eye of our head chef Matt who overseas the careful preparation of our food by perfectly executing each recipe and creating the best with the best. Matt will keep a vigilant eye on the process at all moments, from the sit-down tasting to the dinner plating. Our head chef is always concerned with imbuing that divine flavor into each tasty morsel. While if ever our head chef Matt is too busy upon perfecting one dish, The Abbey Catering also employs 12 trained and professional chefs prepared to create for you the perfect catering experience.
Now, if you don’t find that food which tickles your taste-buds on our menu feel free to talk with your event coordinator and without any hesitation we will have some of your favorite dishes ready to be served and savored for the hour of your tasting. It’s what we do. We work with you, we create a menu that blends absolutely with your desire.
Our ability to design food is absolutely extensive, here are just a few elegant examples.
Spice Things Up With a Photo-Booth
Posted by: Chris Campbell
August 15th, 2011 >> Other, Promotions, Trends, Weddings
The Abbey Catering Photo Booth for fun, personal videos and pictures.
If you are anything like the team at the Abbey, we know you like to have fun, either acting goofy with your friends and family or making lasting memories in which you can look back on and laugh about later. So, guess what? We decided to get a fully functional, state of the art photo booth, with video capture and access to upload your photos to facebook almost instantly!
You can imagine your surprise as your friends, family and guests take candid shots of which they can share on their facebook instantly or you can have as we conveniently store all the videos and photos onto a usb flash drive, while they get to have the proofs. This is a great way to entertain everyone as you have some genuine fun making goofy faces, and recording special messages for a seasonal party, wedding, or corporate event, and it makes a great ice breaker as you share the photos you have taken over food, drinks, and a great all around time. You can even come in and check it out for yourself. Oh! And did i mention that the themes can be fully customized for any event, and its mobile, meaning it can be brought to any events catered by the Abbey…now how’s that sound for a little added fun?
The Abbey has plenty of ideas to help add more excitement to your event day and we value your thoughts on how we can make it better. Click here and share your ideas…
It’s Harry Potter Time with the Abbey Catering
Posted by: Quinn
August 9th, 2011 >> Abbey staff, Design, Events, Other, Preferred Venues, Tablescapes, Trends
A theme is all it takes to turn your party from average to adventurous and fun. The Weiner family wanted to take their daughter’s bat mitsvah one step further than just a party. “Which house would you choose Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin?” The fun movie theme of Harry Potter was perfect for this kind of celebration. The main dining area was set up similiar to the Hogwarts School dining area with the house name banners and then a side dining area with tables labeled for places within the movie like the Whomping Willow and King’s Cross Station. You could almost feel the magic. Hiring the Abbey Catering and Event Design Co along with their event coordinator made this party flow with ease. From set up to clean up, everything was taken care of – from keeping the guests appetites fulfilled to being kept busy with a photo shoot where you could dress up as your favorite character from the movie. Normal parties are things of the past, now themed parties have become more popular and the thing to do.From birthday parties to even weddings it is no longer just a party but an event the host family wants their guests to remember. Celebrating in style now means having fun while you do it. So…..
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- Creating realism with design mastery, the owls of Hogwart’s have come to visit
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- Event Decor makes the Weiner Bat Mitsvah a party to remember.
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- The Abbey creates a mystical world for the bat mitzvah.
Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Come make memories, we can help you host….
A Sunset Engagement
Posted by: Chris Campbell
August 5th, 2011 >> Client Testimonials, From the Kitchen, Other, Trends
A sunset proposal to be remembered for a lifetime.
I received a call 3 weeks ago from an Abbey patron and was asked to create a perfect dinner for two. It was to be the dinner at which the question of questions was to be asked. I eagerly accepted, for that is the reason we live for – to help two individuals dreams come true. I worked with Lester to present the ideal menu to my Executive Chef Matt, who amped up our vision to a culinary masterpiece. When our guests arrived at their beach-side couture picnic, they were greeted by Matt himself who dazzled them with a seafood salad in vinaigrette and a table-side seared filet with grilled vegetables. As the sun set, Matt was blessed to witness the proposal and the resounding “Yes!” At the Abbey, we love what we do, and it was a true honor to be a part of this magical evening with two very special people. Your memorable moments are what makes all our hard work worth the effort.
Perfect setting to pop that "Will you marry me?" question.
What moment would you like to create for a special someone….